Nobody Writes
by Hannah-Nobody
Summary: A collection of my various tumblr requests/oneshots! Chapter Twelve: The Healing Touch - After losing everything, Lucy just wanted a quiet life, and who could be more quiet than the dead? It's just a shame one of them had to wake up.
1. Martial Arts Teacher AU

**_Request by Rockingcass12: "_** ** _An AU would be cool. Perhaps Lucy had almost been assaulted and asks Natsu, a martial artist teacher, to give her lessons."_**

* * *

 _You can do this Lucy._

The blonde stood outside Magnolia's community centre as she gathered her courage. Her nervous fingers crumpled the flyer in her hands before straightening it out again, her eyes flickering over bold letters.

 **Salamander's Self Defence**

 **5PM every Sunday Magnolia Community Centre**

 **We'll teach you how to beat the bad guys!**

As much as the flyers words and its many pictures of seemingly irrelevant clip-art dragons amused her, Lucy couldn't help the anxiety that filled her stomach. She wasn't really a violent person. What if she was so bad they put her in the junior class?

She shook the thought from her head. No. She couldn't be _that_ bad. She'd knocked that mugger unconscious after all.

Well, after she'd finished panicking.

That was why she was here. She never wanted to feel as helpless as she had in those moments of panic ever again. And she most _certainly_ didn't want some jerk stealing her favourite purse!

She squared her shoulders and stepped inside.

Magnolia's community centre was an old building, but at the moment it was filled with fresh faces. Students of varying ages moved in unison in the centre of the room, following the instructions of a scary-looking guy with long black hair and piercings who paced throughout their ranks as he barked out his commands.

His eyes drifted away from his students and over to her as the door fell shut behind her, the loud bang echoing through the room. He rattled off another round of instructions and made his way over to her.

"What can I do yer for, Blondie?" He asked in a gruff voice.

Lucy gulped. This guy was intimidating.

She held up the crumpled flyer and pointed to it, offering a nervous smile. Before she could articulate her request, the tall man rolled his eyes and jerked his thumb behind him.

"He's over there." He told her before returning to his students.

She scrunched her nose in confusion. Wasn't that guy the so-called 'Salamander'?

Her eyes drifted in the direction the pierced man had gestured to. Sitting on an empty bench at the far side of the room, a pink-haired man was hunched over some papers. One hand scribbling away as the other brought an apple to his lips.

She walked around the main body of students, hoping she wouldn't get in anyone's way. The closer she got to the man on the bench, the more she noticed about him. Aside from his shockingly pink hair, she noticed tanned skin and corded muscle beneath his black t-shirt. He was very… fit.

She gulped again.

When she finally reached him, he didn't look up from his papers. Despite the shouts that came from behind her, she felt the sound of him biting into his apple was the loudest in the room. She shuffled nervously on her feet.

"Erm," She began hesitantly, "I'm here for the self-defence classes?"

"Mmm," He hummed in response, still not looking up from his papers, "Had any experience with this kinda thing before?"

The smoothness of his voice reduced her annoyance at the seemly ridiculous question. If she had previous experience, why would she be here? He took another bite of his apple as he waited for his reply.

"Well, I…" She began, thinking back to the mugging incident, "Yes? Not really… kinda, I guess?"

He looked up at her for the first time. His brow was furrowed but his eyes widened when they settled on her. He had sharp features. A strong jaw and lightly freckled cheekbones. She stood awkwardly as his dark eyes inspected her from head to toe and back again. Why was he looking at her like that? Perhaps it was her outfit. She'd thought leggings and a tank top would have been practical, but maybe not.

"What do you mean, 'kinda'?" He spoke eventually, his mouth still full of apple.

"Well I punched a guy in the face," She told him, ignoring his bad manners. Hadn't anyone ever told him not to talk with his mouthful? "But I fractured my fingers, so I don't think I did it right."

Surprisingly, he let out a laugh.

The sound was rich and his grin was infectious. She caught a glimpse of sharp teeth as she smiled shyly back at him. It was when he smiled that the thought hit her that he was _very_ attractive. Hit her like a punch to the gut.

He set his papers aside and stood, taking another bite of his apple as she assessed him in much the same way he had done to her moments before. He took the bite just as her eyes drifted back up to his face, so she noticed when a drop of the fruits juice dribbled from the corner of his mouth and his tongue darted out to stop it.

Lucy found herself fighting hard to repress a shiver. The pink-haired man smirked as he tossed his apple aside. His eyes glinted as if he _knew._ She was barely aware of the pierced man shouting at his colleague to 'pick that damn thing up' as she took in that look.

"I'm Natsu," He introduced himself, jarring her from her thoughts. He was still smirking, "Punch me."

"Erm, excuse me?" She completely forgot to introduce herself in the wake of his strange request.

"Punch me." He repeated.

 _What type of self-defence class_ is _this?_ She wondered.

Cautiously, she raised her fist.

"Don't wrap your fingers around your thumb," He told her, "Otherwise you'll probably break it."

Assuming that 'it' was her thumb, she corrected her mistake. But she still hesitated.

"You're sure you want be to punch you?" She asked.

"Yup."

"But won't it, y'know, hurt?"

He snorted.

"I doubt it." He flashed her a cocky grin.

Lucy pouted. She wanted to knock that grin off his smug face. His smug, so perfectly structured face. She drew her arm back, gathering all the force she could muster.

And she punched him in the face.

Well, she would have, if he hadn't caught her fist in his hand. Which felt warm against her own, his fingers still sticky from his earlier snack.

She was so surprised by his quick reflexes and the tingling feeling of his skin against hers that she barely registered his movement as he kicked her legs out from under her.

She only realised when she was halfway to the ground.

Lucy realised she couldn't defeat gravity. Hell, it was a miracle she got in a punch on that mugger. She closed her eyes and waited for the impact of the hard wooden floor against her back, but strong arms caught her instead.

A squeak escaped her when her eyes snapped open and she realised his proximity. He was holding her as though they had been partway through some fancy ballroom dance and he'd decided to dip her. Her mouth went dry and she licked her lips.

His eyes tracked the movement.

"What did you say your name was again?" He asked, his voice lower than before.

"L-Lucy." She stammered.

He smirked before righting her. Her head was spinning, registering silly things like the gold flecks in his eyes and the way his arm lingered on her waist.

"Well Lucy, I think your lessons are going to be _very_ interesting."

* * *

 **A/N: So I decided to start posting my requests on here too! Please let me know your thoughts on each one if you can, and if you have any requests of your own feel free to message me on tumblr!**


	2. Tipsy Natsu

_**Request by Teamedwardjace: "**_ ** _Nalu story where a tipsy Natsu iniates a searing make out session with Lucy?"_**

* * *

Natsu giggled as the fire whisky burned its way down his throat.

He was _not_ drunk. No. Natsu Dragneel was _not_ a lightweight. He was just laughing at… something. He was laughing at… Lucy! Yeah, he was laughing at Lucy. Man, she was a weirdo.

Lucy was a weirdo and she was… leaving?

Natsu jumped off his stool at the bar, stumbling slightly when his feet hit the ground. Okay, he wasn't _drunk_ , but maybe he was _tipsy_. This was all Gray's fault really. He didn't know how but it probably was. He'd make sure to beat him up later, after he walked his girl home.

Natsu giggled again as he jogged to catch up with Lucy.

 _His girl_. Oh, he'd earn himself a Lucy-Kick if he ever let _that_ thought past his lips.

The blonde paused in the street when he called out to her. Natsu was a bit disappointed by this. He loved the way her hips swayed when she walked. What was that saying again? _I hate to see her leave but I love to watch her go?_

Lucy giggled at his clumsiness when he tripped on thin air. Her laugh sent a rush through his veins, the fire whisky making him bold enough to wrap his arms around her waist from behind.

"You laughin' at me Luce?" He smiled as he nuzzled her neck.

His partner tried to squirm free, but she was trapped.

"Who else is there to laugh at?" She replied. He could hear the grin in her voice.

They were alone in a dimly lit street not far from the guild. The night air carried with it the cold breeze of autumn, making their breaths turn to clouds of mist that mingled together in front of them.

 _Just like dragons!_

The thought rushed through Natsu's mind and he fought hard to bite back a laugh, resting his brow against Lucy's shoulder that was left bare by the loose strap of her tank top.

He noticed it then. How warm her skin was against his.

The sensation focussed his wandering thoughts and he raised his head. Lucy didn't say a thing as the tip of his nose brushed up the side of her neck, but he could have sworn her breathing had become as uneven as his.

He squeezed her tighter against him as he took her earlobe between his teeth.

"Natsu, what are you-"

But her statement was cut off by a breathy gasp as he moved his ministrations down her neck, nibbling the delicate skin along her pulse point.

He couldn't help his smirk when she leaned her head back against his shoulder, allowing him better access. The scent of her flowery perfume invaded his nose, but it only served to strengthen his hunger.

As though she sensed his growing need and sought to taunt him for his yearning, Lucy broke away, her breathy laugh forming swirls of mist in the autumn air.

"Natsu," She said again, "What are we-"

But he never let her finish. He stepped in close, slowly. Lucy's back hit a wall in her attempt to retreat from his burning gaze, but she didn't pull away as he pressed his body against her own, leaving no room for the cold air. It was only their heat between them.

Natsu felt his lips twitch at Lucy's wide-eyed expression, her lips slightly apart. He rested his hands on her hips, and when he leaned in her own trailed up his chest before her fingers found their way into his hair.

The kiss was sloppy at first. An uncoordinated clash of lips that Natsu blamed on the fire whisky. He ignored the burning sensation the alcohol had left in his throat and chose instead to follow another. This fire burned brighter the more he kissed her. When his tongue slipped into her mouth he opened his eyes. The heat inside of him had grown so intense he needed to check he hadn't literally caused a spark between the two of them.

Having reassured himself his literal flames were in check, he let his flames of desire rage on. His hands wandered beneath her shirt as her kisses became more heated. Natsu pulled slightly on her lower lip as his fingers grazed the soft skin of her stomach. The muscles tensed beneath his touch and a light moan escaped her lips.

A satisfied smirk graced his features as he ground his hips against her own, eliciting another moan. He let his hands snake down, catching her beneath the knees before hoisting her up and wrapping her legs around him. Lucy let out a startled gasp before tightening her hold on him.

Natsu followed the lust the fire whisky seemed to have awoken in him, trailing scorching kisses down her neck as his fingers dug in to the creamy skin of her thighs beneath her skirt.

"Lucy…" He breathed against her skin as her legs tightened around him.

They needed to get out of the street.

Her lips found his once more. Lucy's kisses were now as hungry and desperate as his own, and her fingers on the back of his neck tugged sharply at his rosy hair.

"So then I said- HOLY SHIT. WENDY, COVER YOUR EYES."

Natsu's head snapped in the direction of the voice.

Standing in the street behind them were Gray, Wendy, Carla and Happy. Carla and Gray each shielded Wendy's innocent eyes, both of them looking mortified while doing so. Happy's snickering was the only sound that filled the shocked silence.

Realising his... incriminating position, Natsu promptly took a step back.

Lucy fell to the ground with a yelp. Natsu grinned sheepishly as she scowled at him from the ground.

"You are _never_ drinking fire whisky again."


	3. Castle In The Sky AU

_**Requested by Anonymous: "Pleeeeeeeease write that Castle In The Sky AU!"**_

* * *

"Lucy? Lucy!" A voice woke her. Natsu's voice. "Hey, are you alright? Wake up!"

He was shaking her shoulder gently, rousing her from unconsciousness. Lucy groaned as she opened her eyes and came face to face with… flowers?

Seeing the bright colours of their petals after the blackness of the storm reassured her somehow. They'd survived. She'd held on to Natsu for dear life and now they were… where were they?

She looked to Natsu for an answer, but he was simply gazing down at her, a soft smile on his face. A smile of her own graced her features at the sight of him looking at her so fondly. His eyes shifted then, taking in the view of something behind her. She watched as his eyes widened and his mouth dropped open in awe.

"Look." He breathed.

Lucy pushed herself up slightly and turned to look in the direction that Natsu was facing. She drew in a breath and was sure her heart stopped.

Spread out before them was a vast expanse of lush green gardens scattered with ancient pillars and a path that led to what could only be described as a caste. The structure was huge. White walls gave way to the canopy of a giant tree. Its leaves swaying gently in the morning breeze.

The two of them lay there stunned, until Lucy finally managed to speak.

"Laputa."

Laputa. They'd made it. There was no mistaking it, she was _here._ Her ancestral home. The castle in the sky. The place Natsu's father had told him about.

Lucy was pulled from her stupor when Natsu tried to stand. The rope they'd used to tie themselves together went taught around her stomach, causing her to be pulled up alongside him.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Natsu laughed, kneeling back down to make it easier for her to stand.

"Wait a minute," She laughed along with him as she stood. Her fingers fumbled with the rope between them, "It's a very tight knot!"

Natsu chuckled low in his chest and Lucy suddenly realised how very close they were. Heat rose to her cheeks when she sensed him watching her. She tried very hard not to bite her tongue in concentration.

"My hands are shaking." She admitted. She was unsure if it was because they were standing on Lapucian soil or if it was because of… something else.

Natsu laughed again before taking her by surprise and scooping her up in his arms. His arms remained secure around her waist as he lifted her up and ran to a better viewpoint. She let out a cry of shock at how close he brought them to the edge of their floating island but she trusted him not to let her fall. She trusted him with her life.

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders as they stood there and took in the view. It was so beautiful. The trees, the buildings, the sky. It took her breath away.

"We're here." She breathed into the wind, "We finally found it."

Natsu lowered her to the ground as he himself took in the view, but his hands remained firmly on her waist. Slowly, he turned to her, their faces only inches apart. Lucy looked into his dark onyx eyes and couldn't help the love that swelled in her chest. Here was this boy, who'd protected her from the moment they met without question. Who'd caught her when she fell from the sky, saved her from the army, came on this adventure with her and left everything he knew behind.

He grinned as if he knew what she was thinking. That grin she'd grown so accustomed to seeing. He let out a joyous laugh that caused Lucy to smile even wider. He drew back a little before throwing his arms around her once more, this time picking her up and spinning her in his glee.

They laughed together as they spun, Natsu hooting with joy and Lucy giggling at how happy she was. At how happy _he_ was. At how happy they were together. Natsu let out a yelp of surprise when he stumbled too close to the edge. Lucy felt the rush in her veins as he pulled her dangling legs back over solid ground before falling to floor together and rolling in the luscious grass.

When they finally managed to quiet their laughter, Natsu pulled her in close, his arms still wrapped around her waist and hers still wrapped around his shoulders. They may have quelled their laughter, but neither of them could banish the smiles from their faces as they rested their foreheads against each other.

They'd made it! They'd made it to Laputa.

Their noses brushed before another round of laughter managed to overcome them. The two of them lay back in the grass together as they let their laughter die off. Neither of them bothered to untangle their arms from around each other as they took in the clear blue sky above them.

Lucy watched in contentment as a pair of birds flew from the trees and danced together in the sky.

"Pretty birds." Natsu mumbled.

"They must live here Natsu."

Natsu sucked in a breath as though he were about to say something before he sat up abruptly, his keen ears catching something she had yet to hear.

He pulled her up and steered her to the edge of the platform, his hand resting on the small of her back. They watched as a robot, a similar shape and size to the one that had awoken at the army's base and saved her, crossed the narrow bridge to their platform. His footsteps clanged against the stone.

"I think he must be here to meet you Lucy." Natsu guessed.

She clutched the back of his shirt tighter as she remembered all the destruction the other robot had caused, and how it had perished trying to save her.

"But I don't have the aethirium crystal."

"Yeah but- wait, I've gotta cut us loose!"

Lucy watched the robot climb the few stone steps up onto the platform as Natsu fumbled for his pocket knife. Its metal seemed rusted and aged, and its shoulders were coated with moss.

They retreated back to their kite once the robot reached the top of the stairs, but it continued to approach them. Natsu stepped in front of her protectively when it paused in front of their kite. She could feel the tense set of his shoulders as she gripped the back of his shirt.

The robot looked down at them and emitted a series of beeps. Was it… talking to them? Its long metal arms reached for their kite.

"Hey, wait!" Natsu shouted at it, "You're gonna break that!"

"Wait!" Lucy called to it, trying a more placating tone, "Please Mr Robot, don't do that! We won't be able to go home without it."

The robot looked at them and beeped again. It reached for their kite once more, but slower this time. Gently, it lifted their kite. The robot redirected its gaze to the grass, and Lucy leaned forward to see what it was looking at.

"It's… it's a bird's nest."

Behind her, Natsu leaned forward too. She could sense him smiling.

"So that's why he's here."

The two of them looked up to the robot and saw the birds flying around its shoulders, tweeting happily. It must be his job, she realised. To take care of them. Natsu voiced his similar thoughts. She was glad the eggs were alright.

The robot set there kite down with care, before it turned to them and emitted more beeps.

"It says to follow him." Lucy guessed as the robot turned to walk away.

"How do you know?" Natsu raised a quizzical eyebrow at her.

"I just know that's what he said!" She smiled and ran after the robot.

Natsu followed right behind her. The robot led them across the narrow bridge and through the lush gardens. They tried to keep close, but Natsu kept getting distracted. He rushed around, inspecting strange animals and looking into ponds to find a whole city beneath the water. They almost lost sight of the robot when it disappeared into the large white building.

They rushed up the steps together, but paused at the entrance. Inside was filled with life. Green filled Lucy's vision as she stepped into the indoor jungle. She subconsciously reached her hand out, waiting only a second before Natsu twined his fingers with her own. They shared a look that made her heart pound when their skin touched.

"It's a giant garden," Natsu whispered as he gently tugged her forward, "I've never seen anything like it before. It's beautiful."

Lucy was inclined to agree. The walls were invisible, letting the natural light shine down through the canopy. Flowers of every colour bloomed all around them. Natsu's hand in hers helped her to manoeuvre over the range of tree roots that coiled around the path as they wandered through the metropolis of trees.

"I wonder what happened here," Natsu's voice broke through the bird song and the rustling of the leaves, "This used to be a city of advanced technology."

Indeed, the Laputa they were now baring witness to seemed far different than the one of legend. Apart from the robot, they had yet to run into a single soul. Nature seemed to rule over this place now, not Lucy's ancestors.

The further they walked, the bigger the trees became. Both of them marvelled at the sheer scale and size of them until they ducked under a bush and came into a clearing.

"Look at the size of that one!" Natsu proclaimed.

They strained their necks looking upwards trying to spot the top of the tree. Its base was as impressive as its height. Vines wound their way around the tree that must have been at least a hundred feet in width, perhaps more. Natsu guessed it had to be at least a thousand years old.

It was then that Lucy noticed something at the trees base. A stone monument fixed in the wood. She moved towards it, pulling Natsu close behind her.

"The robot was leading us to this place Natsu."

Once they were close enough, she could make out an ancient crest etched into the stone. The crest of Laputa, of her family. The monument stretched down onto the ground, the writing beneath the crest continuing down to the stone by their feet.

"I wish I could read what it says." Natsu frowned, mirroring Lucy's own thoughts.

Her eyes scanned the writing, hoping in vain that she would be able to decipher something, _anything._ Her eyes finally came to rest on six small pink flowers laid at the bottom of the monument.

"Someone left flowers." She mumbled as she kneeled down to caress the pink petals.

Natsu nudged her shoulder, nodding to her right when she looked up at him. She stood as she noticed what Natsu had nodded towards. The robot.

"Did you leave the flowers?" She asked it.

Behind her, Natsu drew in a gasp. She noticed then. This wasn't the same robot. This robot was more rusted, mossier. Its feet were cemented into the soil and grass grew up its long legs. Some smaller creatures had even seemed to make the paralysed robot their home.

"It looks like it's been frozen there forever." Natsu said softly.

Looking around, Lucy noticed there were more of them. Dozens of them sat around the base of the tree, having become one with the roots and vines long ago, their bodies coated in moss. Like quiet guardians. Protectors of the garden.

Beeping sounded from behind them, and the two of them turned to see the robot from earlier approaching them. Its long arms trailing against the ground.

It stopped before Lucy and extended its hand. A pink flower was tucked between its fingers.

"Oh, you've picked a flower for the grave." Lucy smiled at it, "How kind of you."

Natsu watched as her pale hands reached forward a plucked the dainty flower from the robots grasp. She seemed to fit in here, he thought. Surrounded by all this life and beauty. It was as if her ancestry made her a part of this place.

He wondered what it would have been like if people still lived here. Lucy would be a princess and he would just be another explorer chasing after a myth. He might never have met her.

But he had. He'd plucked an angel from the sky and they had found this place. Together.

"He must be the only one left." Lucy whispered, and he noticed a stray tear fall from her brown eyes.

She placed the flower by the others as Natsu watched a family of animals skitter up the side of the robot and rest on its shoulders. The robot beeped at them as they nuzzled into the metal. Its head spun before it turned and walked away, off to attend to some other part of the garden.

"You know what, Lucy? I bet he's not lonesome at all." Natsu told her as she stood, rubbing the tears from her eyes, "He's got plenty of friends. The animals, the birds… he takes care of them."

She turned to Natsu then. She was so grateful for his support. So grateful to have met him. When everyone else had wanted her for her neckless, her knowledge, or her heritage, he had only ever wanted to be by her side. To go on an adventure.

"Natsu-" She moved closer to him.

An explosion shook the castle and she stumbled into his chest. He held her close until the tremors subsided, and then they shared an uneasy glance.

The army was here.


	4. Pirates Of The Caribbean AU

**_Requested by Lemoncelloismyname: "_** ** _PIRATE AU WHERE NATSU IS WILL FROM PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN AND LUCY IS ELIZABETH AND AT THE END NATSU STABS THE HEART AND SAILS OFF AND LUCY DOESN'T SEE HIM FOR TEN YEARS"_**

* * *

 _Part of the ship, part of the crew._

The words rang through Igneel's mind as he stumbled forward, his eyes fixed on the sword protruding from his son's chest. Natsu was gasping for air, his eyes flickering shut even as Lucy screamed at him, begged him to stay alive.

He knew what he had to do.

The key to the chest was still clutched between Lucy's fingers, forgotten in her panic. Igneel feared that his son would hate him for what he was about to do, but he was more afraid of Natsu dying.

He had thought, that if the choice presented itself to Natsu –Lucy or his father- that he would have chosen Lucy. Igneel would have _told him_ to choose Lucy. Never did he think that he would have to make the choice for him.

Taking Lucy by the shoulders, Igneel tried to pull her away from Natsu as he lay dying. Lucy's screams tore at his heart. Her tears mixed in with the rain as he pried the key from her hands.

He scrambled for the chest, and it was then that Lucy must have realised his intentions. Her wailing stopped as she settled down in front of him slowly as he opened the chest.

The two of them looked down at Davy Jones's beating heart with utter disgust as the person they loved most in the world struggled for his last breaths. Lucy looked Igneel in the eyes and he was struck by what he saw. Sadness flooded with courage. He could see why Natsu loved her.

Together, they settled the chest on Natsu's lap. Igneel removed the heart of their enemy from the chest as Lucy retrieved the fragment of Natsu's sword and wrapped his fingers around the handle.

As Natsu drew his last breath, the blade fell.

Davy Jones let out a bloodcurdling howl. Igneel watched as the pirate who had been fighting him –Gray, he thought his name was- took a step back in surprise. His eyes quickly found them, widening at what he saw. Stumbling back what his enemy began to crumple before him.

Igneel turned his attention back to Natsu. His son was lifeless. The rain matted his hair as Lucy clutched at him and sobbed. Natsu was dead.

But not lost.

He shoved Lucy off his son. He didn't have much time. Lucy protested, about to fling herself at Igneel in her grief, but suddenly Gray was there. His arms tight around her as he insisted it was time to leave.

Igneel paid them no mind as he took the shattered sword from Natsu's hand. He wasn't sure how Lucy and Gray got off the rapidly sinking ship, but he didn't care.

 _Part of the ship, part of the crew._

He cut out his son's heart.

* * *

"I'm going to need the other one." Natsu laughed.

He turned to Lucy in search of his missing boot. He found it, with her foot inside. His worn leather boots had never looked so good. Her dress whipped around slender legs in the ocean breeze, revealing her creamy thigh.

A grin spread across his features as he kneeled in front of the rock on which she rested her foot. One hand lifted her knee gentle as the other removed his missing boot. The feel of her skin under his fingers captivated him once more. He couldn't help himself from leaning in and pressing a light kiss onto her knee. He also couldn't help his hands from wandering up her leg.

Last night had been his first night with Lucy.

It had also been his last.

For the next ten years he would have only his memory of their night together on the beach to comfort him as he ferried the souls of the dead.

"It's nearly sunset." His voice was hoarse when he spoke.

He looked up to see that Lucy's eyes had been closed, completely absorbed in his touch. At his words, they reluctantly opened, focusing on _The Flying Dutchman_ that was waiting for him by the shore.

Tears shone in her eyes.

Ten years apart would be just as hard for her as it would be for him.

He pulled away from her. There was one last thing he had to do before he left, and it rested on the rocks beside him. He retrieved his jacket to reveal it hidden beneath. The chest.

The sound of his heart echoed from inside of it.

"It's always belonged to you," He smiled softly before picking up the chest and turning to her, "Will you keep it safe?"

Lucy looked as though her own heart was close to breaking, but she nodded anyway. She stepped forward and took the handles either side of the chest, her fingers brushing his as his heart beat in the space between them.

"Yes." She whispered.

An ache passed through his now empty chest as he passed the box over. He leaned in close, his forehead resting against hers as he tried his best to ingrain every moment he'd ever had with her into his memory.

When he pulled away, she looked as though she was in pain. It was time for him to leave.

He made it only a few paced down the beach before she called out to him.

Natsu turned just in time to catch her as she flung her arms around him. She was unrelenting when she kissed him. So desperate and passionate that his soul ached to be with her always. But he couldn't. His hands clutched at her as though she was his life line as their lips pressed together for the last time.

He'd count down every moment for the next ten years until he could do that again.

"Keep an eye on the horizon." He told her.

Lucy smiled at him as he turned to go. She watched until his ship reached the horizon, letting the green flash of his departing of this world sting her eyes.

Just ten more years.


	5. Fire & Moonshine

_**A/N: 1920s oneshot because why not!**_

 _ **Summary:**_ ** _After a not-so-innocent night with the purest girl in town, Natsu has to deal with Fairy Tail's new supplier with a little extra weight on his back…_**

 _ ***WARNING* This is 80% smut**_

* * *

The 20s had started with a bang, and kids these days needed to find a way to keep that fire burning. The Big Cats would never have guessed that the Prohibition would actually cause _more_ drinking, but the lord knew the lost generation needed to drown their cynicism in _something_.

Natsu himself was very strongly an anti-prohibition man, if only because he liked to wash the bad taste of the day down with a glass of cold, sharp whisky. At the start of the decade, Natsu would never had guessed he'd be where he was now. A budding bootlegger, frequenter of an infamous speakeasy, a guy with a gun.

And –perhaps most importantly- he would have never have guessed he'd end up with his head between Lucy Heartfilia's legs.

Natsu smirked to himself as Lucy's hips bucked. He clasped her hips firmly, pushing them down as he relished in her breathy gasps and the way her hands fisted in the off-white sheets at her sides. He squeezed her hips gently as he raked his rough tongue along the edges of her core.

It made his blood burn to watch the way her chest heaved, the way her skin became flushed. Lucy was normally so prim and proper. A picture of innocence wrapped in white. As the daughter of such an upstanding member of the Anti-Saloon League, she had to be. She stood out from most other girls her age. She refused to cut her hair into the fashionable bob-cut style that was all the rage these days, instead she kept her golden hair long. Natsu loved to see it hanging down her bare back perhaps even more than he loved seeing it fanned out across the sheets.

He was so grateful for her burst of recklessness all those months ago. As luck would have it, of all the speakeasies in all of New York, Lucy just happened to waltz into his.

Natsu closed his eyes and basked in her moans and cries as he pinched that sensitive nub of flesh between his teeth. Her back arched as his tongue continued to roam inside her dripping wet heat, her cries becoming so loud that he pulled back a little to look at her smugly.

"Easy darlin'," He purred, "Wouldn't wanna wake the neighbours."

Lucy, still panting from his ministrations, didn't even look at him as she reached down and grabbed handfuls of his wild pink hair with her delicate fingers, yanking his face back towards her core.

"Don't care," She insisted, "Don't stop."

Her voice was thick with lust. Natsu let himself be pulled back towards her centre, Lucy completely missing the mischievous look in his eyes. Her hands left his hair as his hot breath tickled between her thighs. Natsu watched with half lidded eyes as Lucy slid her hands slowly up her thighs, raking her nails across her stomach before letting her fingers ghost over the sensitive peaks of her breasts.

Natsu placed an opened mouthed kiss against her inner thigh as he watched, causing Lucy to squirm. He smirked against her skin, knowing how desperately she craved more.

"Natsuuu," She whined, but he wouldn't give in.

He wanted to play with her a little longer before he brought her to the high she so craved.

He placed another wet kiss a little closer to her core, listening carefully to the sweet noises that escaped her. Her breaths were coming fast, small whines escaping her. Oh, he loved to drive her mad like this. If she was capable of coherent thought right now, he suspected she was so desperate she could easily flip him over and ride him until the sun came up. He certainly wouldn't complain.

But instead, her desperation sent her hands fumbling towards the nightstand. Natsu bit back a laugh as he heard metal scraping against wood, not even flinching as the cool barrel of his gun was pressed against his temple.

" _Natsu_ ," Lucy ordered, her voice firm but still not concealing her raw desire, "Finish me off, or I'll finish _you_ off."

Natsu chuckled before swatting away the gun and pinning her hips down once again. He heard the weapon clatter back onto the nightstand as his tongue stroked against her most sensitive spot. Lucy screamed at the sudden burst of sensation, but Natsu was unrelenting, biting and sucking at it until Lucy was grasping desperately at the bars of the headboard, her toes curling against the muscles of his back.

With one last, hard, stoke of his tongue, Lucy shattered into perfect bliss above him. He untangled himself from her legs as she came down from her high, chest heaving as she caught her breath. Natsu swiped the back of his hand across his mouth as he settled beside her. His length twitched as his eyes roamed over her naked body. He thought about skimming his fingers across her stomach, trailing them further down to cup her mound and send her spiralling into ecstasy all over again.

It was then that Lucy opened her eyes. She smirked, knowing he was watching her. Probably knowing what he was thinking of if the way her right hand was slowly circling her navel was anything to go by. He didn't know where to look, her sultry eyes as she whipped the light sheen of sweat from her forehead or her wandering hand.

His eyes found their way to her generous behind when she rolled over, propping herself up on her elbows. He scooted closer, brushing her long golden hair over her shoulder and placing soft kisses between her shoulder blades.

Lucy let him wrap an arm beneath her as he continued to pepper kisses across her back. He heard a distinctive click and looked up to see that Lucy had picked up his gun again. The click had been the opening of the cylinder.

Empty.

"You know it's never loaded." He murmured against her hair, placing a kiss just behind her ear.

"And that worries me."

"Why?" He asked, frowning slightly as he nuzzled her head a little, trying to get her to tilt her head to the left.

"What if you need to shoot someone?" She wondered, complying with his touch.

"I can take care of myself Heartfilia." He assured her against her skin before gently taking the skin of her neck between his teeth.

"Don't I know it Dragneel."

Natsu continued to place hot kisses along the column of her neck, even as he watched her pull bullets from beneath her pillow and meticulously load his gun. It was only when she flipped the cylinder closed and placed the gun back on the nightstand that he idly began to wonder where she'd learned to do that.

He pushed the thoughts from his mind as Lucy moaned slightly in response to his kisses. He bit her skin a little harder as he moved the hand that had encircled her waist to palm one of her breasts, shifting his hips slightly so she knew how much he wanted her.

Lucy moved her own hips in response, grinding her ass into him. Natsu hissed through his teeth, his eyes closing at the amazing feeling. Lucy took his moment of weakness to push him off her and down onto the bed, moving to straddle him before he could protest.

The mattress creaked under their weight, the noise making Natsu frown. They always met here, in a dirty little apartment downtown, but he didn't understand why. The place was awful. The wallpaper was falling off the walls and there had been a pair of handcuffs hanging from the bedposts ever since they'd first came here, the key still unfound. Lucy had old money, he had new. It wasn't like they couldn't afford to go to some classy hotel. Somewhere with room service and an art deco theme. They would love that.

He was just about to suggest it when he saw the look in Lucy's eyes. It made him twitch beneath her. He knew she felt it between her thighs when a smirk flashed across her face. He suddenly regretted teasing her earlier.

"Your turn, right?" She purred as she leaned forward on her hands and knees, bringing her face inches from his.

"I aint keeping score." He tried to joke, but his voice was rough. _Please gods let it be his turn_.

"Oh really?" She asked coyly.

Natsu was mesmerised as she leaned back. She picked up his hand from where it lay by his head and brought it close to her lips, holding it as though she were a princess about to kiss the ring of her king. With her other hand, she traced circles across his bruised knuckles, pouting a little as though in thought.

"Well if you don't know," She mused as her lips grazed his knuckles, "Then I guess we could call it a night."

She didn't give him a chance to reply to her teasing however. Instead, she straightened his index finger and placed it in her mouth. Natsu sucked in a shaky breath as her full lips dragged along his calloused skin, her tongue sliding down the length of his finger.

He groaned as she gave it a suck, his hips bucking in response. Lucy shifted at the motion, making sure his throbbing length came nowhere near her centre. Her eyes sparkled at his pitiful whine.

"You sure you're not keeping score?" She smirked once she released his finger.

" _Please_ Lucy," Natsu begged, aching too much with lust to give a damn about his pride, "You know I want you."

He shifted his hips slightly, the tip of his length brushing against her inner thigh to remind her. No one else had ever got him this good.

"Hhmm," She pondered.

Lucy guided his hand back down and leaned forward again. He thought she was going to pin his hands by his head and finally mount him, but instead something cold encircled his wrist and his heart stopped as a click echoed through the room.

She climbed off from his lap, the cold air stinging slightly at the loss of her skin on his. Natsu strained against the rusty cuffs that were chaining him to bed, but despite their battered appearance, they didn't budge.

Natsu let out a frustrated shout, but he didn't know what he was more frustrated about. Being chained to the bed or the fact that Lucy's delicious curves were now being covered by her floor length silver gown.

"Easy honey," She winked at him as she tied up her hair, "Wouldn't want to wake the neighbours."

He wished he could be angry at her for leaving him hanging, but it only made him want her more. Everyone thought she was so innocent and pure; an upstanding member of the community who supported the prohibition just as much as her father. But he knew the _real_ Lucy.

The Lucy who had just knocked back the last of his whisky before sauntering out of the room.

* * *

Natsu huffed as he stumbled down the stairs that would grant him access to Fairy Tail, praying desperately that the bar would be relatively empty this early in the morning. He was running late to a meeting with their new supplier, and he was _not_ in the mood to deal with their drunken regulars.

He reached the bottom of the stairs and clattered into the main area of the bar. All eyes turned to him and widened, too stunned by the scrapping noise that accompanied his entrance to form words.

Dragging a headboard behind him wasn't exactly subtle, after all.

Once the image of him carting around a rusty metal headboard that was still chained to his wrist was well seared into their brain, the bar staff began to laugh. Gray had tears in his eyes and Gajeel actually fell off his barstool before it all became a bit tiresome for Natsu.

"Alright, alright," He groaned, lifting the bedpost over his shoulder as he made his way over to his office, "Knock it off. Ain't you guys got barrels you need to be unloading?"

"The new supplier wants to speak to you first before we unload." Mira informed him, a hand over her mouth in a half-hearted attempt to hide her giggle.

Natsu groaned. He couldn't meet a new supplier like _this._ Metal framework wasn't exactly an accessory that screamed 'respectable businessman'.

"Gajeel," Natsu beckoned reluctantly, "Any chance you know a good trick to get this damned thing off?"

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't," Gajeel snickered, "You got yourself into this mess, Salamander, and it is _way_ too funny for me to help you get out of it."

"Never knew you still had a soft spot for 'Cops and Robbers' Natsu," Gray drawled, biting back a laugh, "What you get done for? Distributing? Tax evasion? Or were you just a naughty boy?"

Another chorus of laughter echoed throughout the guild, grating on Natsu's patience. They could laugh about it all they wanted, but every time he felt the tug of the cuffs on his wrist the image of Lucy straddling him flashed through his mind. The reminder of the way the dim light glowed on her bare skin was enough to make his mouth water.

Oh, he was _so_ going to get her back for this. Although admittedly, when he thought of her smile and the way she would laugh when he told her about having to meet a bootlegger with half a bed attached to him, he really couldn't stay mad.

Realising he would get no sympathy from the bar staff, Natsu turned to make his way to loading bay, grunting as he hefted the bedframe up onto his shoulder. The soft jazz music followed him down the hall as he tried not to let the metal frame scrape against the walls.

He entered the loading bay to find that a van had already been reversed into the dock, it's doors still closed and its cargo waiting to be discreetly unloaded. Natsu strode towards it, his confident gait adjusting accordingly to the weight of the headboard on his shoulder.

"Alright Buddy," Natsu called out as he slapped his palm twice against the side of the van, "You wanna talk, lets talk."

Stepping back from the van, Natsu's free hand played idly with the straps of his bracers as he waited for their new supplier to show himself. Whoever this guy was, he'd come highly recommended. Apparently they were the best when dealing with discretion, and their prices weren't too high given the quality of their moonshine.

But princes can change, depending on who's buying.

It was then that Natsu's eyes drifted to the logo on the side of the van.

"Nuh uh," He mumbled to himself, "Holy sh-"

Before he could finish his string of courses, the vans cargo door rattled open, ascending to reveal a couple dozen barrels of the good stuff and one curvaceous, blonde figure of the exquisite stuff.

"Sure thing, _Buddy_ ," Lucy purred, "Start talkin'."

Natsu was too shocked to speak. His mind had been sent into a frenzy the moment he noticed the Heartfilia logo on the side of the van. His blood had turned cold for a moment, fearing that it had all been a set up and he was about to be dragged into the van with a one way ticket to jail.

But it wasn't the boys in blue in the back of the van. It was what he'd expected. Booze, but with the added supply of what he wanted.

Lucy.

She stood with a hand on her hip, dressed as elegantly as she always was. It was as though this delivery had been a pit-stop on the way to some fancy gala. Her dress was as blue as a midnight sky, the light catching the glittering fabric whenever she moved the slightest inch. Her arms were covered by long, pale blue gloves that reached up past her elbows and her golden hair was secured in a bun at the nape of her neck with one lone curl falling free to frame her face.

Her laughter jolted him out of his reverie.

"Oh, Mr Dragneel," She smirked, "It seems you've gotten carried away with yourself."

He shook his head to clear his thoughts and flashed her a devilish grin.

"I hope you'll forgive my tardiness ma'am. I've been a little tied up".

"Clearly." Her laugh rang through the room.

He still couldn't wrap his head around it. Lucy. _Here._ A supplier. Had the world gone crazy over night? His eyes were fixed on her, as though he could figure it all out from the gleam in her eyes.

"I'm sure you're wondering what exactly I'm doing here." She mused as she took a seat on one of the barrels.

Natsu did not miss the way her dress shifted. A slit parted up the side to reveal long creamy legs as she rested one knee on top of the other. She chuckled to herself when she noticed him staring.

"It did cross my mind," He admitted, pacing closer to the van, "So the family business is a front huh?"

"Not exactly," She pondered, looking down at him from her perch, "It is and it isn't. Daddy deals with good, honest trade. Keeps the family business pure," Her smile turned wicked, "But I don't."

"You father lets you use it as a front?"

"Daddy doesn't _know_ it's a front," She winked, "He's just happy his little girl is finally taking an interest in the family business."

 _Jesus,_ Natsu thought. Just when he thought he couldn't love her anymore. He admired her cunning, her courage. It took a lot of brains to pull this off, a lot of heart too. It seemed she wanted to keep the party going just as much as he did.

"Lucy Heartfilia," He shook his head ruefully, "You're a-"

"Enough chit chat," She cut him off, leaning forward slightly and resting her arm on her knee, "Let's talk business."

Business? Oh yeah, business. And unfortunately not _that_ kind of business. Natsu sighed. He hated doing deals. Sometimes he could intimidate a guy enough to get exactly the price he wanted, other times they wouldn't even budge. Something told him that this time, even if he had something pretty to look at while he bargained, it was _not_ going to be that easy.

"Yeah business," He rubbed a hand over his face. Maybe if they got this over quick, they could spend a long time doing something else, "We gave the last guy three-fifty, maybe four on a good week. That shit turned people blind, we couldn't trust him. You've got the good stuff. For you, we're willing to pay five."

"For me?" She battered her lashes.

"Baby for you, I couldn't afford it." Natsu smiled.

"You know that's not what I meant," She tutted, "I want seven."

"We ain't giving you seven."

"Oh really?" She pouted.

"Lucy," Natsu groaned, "You know I gotta soft spot for ya, but this aint my money. I can't give you seven."

Lucy sighed, her eyes drifting upwards as she thought to herself. She leaned back on her hands, her fingers drumming against the barrel beneath her. One of her hands rubbed her neck, and it was then that she chuckled to herself. Her fingers trailing down the chain of her necklace, the pendant of which was lost in her generous breasts.

She clicked her tongue when she noticed him staring. Despite the fact that just last night he'd had his head buried between her legs, Natsu blushed.

"You're not gonna give me seven?"

"Nope."

"Not even for the booze-" She removed her necklace as she spoke, dangling the charm in front of his face as she finished her sentence, "-and this?"

It was the fucking key.

 _This girl._

"Six." He ground out through clenched teeth. The cuffs were starting to chafe.

"Seven." She insisted.

"Unchain me, and then maybe I'll _think_ about six-fifty."

"But I don't want you to think about six-fifty," Lucy smirked as she stood, "I want you to give me seven."

"Never took you for the greedy type, Luce." Natsu couldn't help but smirk.

She stepped forward to the edge of the vans backdoor, still smirking down at him. He offered her a hand to help her down, which she accepted with that regal air about her. Her other hand lifted her dress as she managed to jump gracefully down, giving Natsu tantalising view of her upper thigh.

"I'm not greedy, just practical." She purred.

"Can I have the key?" He asked as he let go of her hand.

"Can I have my seven?" She replied, stepping into his space.

"No."

Lucy closed what little space was left between them, her chest pressing against his as she palmed him through his trousers. Her breath fanned his lips as she spoke.

"How about now?"

As usual, Natsu responded fairly quickly to her proximity, her touch. It was difficult to remember what was at stake when her hand was working him so deliciously through the fabric.

"No can do." He managed to rasp out.

Lucy only laughed lightly.

"C'mon," She whispered against his skin as her lips placed a feather light kiss on his jaw, "Girls gotta eat."

Natsu repressed a moan as her tongue slid along the column of his throat. One of these days, she was gonna drive him crazy. But two could play at this game.

"You left me hangin' last night Luce," He pretended to scowl, "Ain't no way I'm giving you seven."

Lucy drew away from him, her face a picture of feigned innocence. Her faint blush was what gave her away.

"Is that what this is about?" She pouted.

Natsu didn't even have time to nod before she pushed hard against his chest, shoving his back into the van, the headboard clattering against the ground. Lucy clasped his wrist, bringing it up so that she could unlock the cuffs. The old key clicked against the locks before she cast them aside.

He resisted the urge to rub his sore wrist, especially as Lucy brought it to her lips and kissed the pink skin gentle. He was about to thank her when she spoke again.

"Your turn." Her voice was low and sultry.

Barely having registered what she said, Natsu was pushed back against the van again. Lucy kept her dark brown eyes on his as she slowly undid the buckle on his belt, the leather making a hissing noise as she pulled it through loops.

Natsu gulped.

With deft fingers, Lucy released his length from his rather tight trousers, smiling when his eyes drifted shut once she took it in her hand. He would never have guessed that the silk of her gloves would feel so good against him.

"You're… still not getting… seven." He sighed as she continued to stroke him.

He opened his eyes a fraction when the motions stopped. Lucy rolled her eyes, worrying her bottom lip coyly.

And then she got on her knees.

"Oh _god-"_ Natsu choked out.

Lucy took him in her mouth without hesitation. Her tongue stroked along the underside of his length, earning her a deep moan from Natsu. His fists clenched the floor of the open van, his knuckles turning white.

He wanted so desperately to pull at her hair, to twine his fingers in it, but he suspected he'd have to pay double the price for only half of the barrels if he put even a strand of her hair out of place.

Lucy Heartfilia had to keep up appearances after all.

She hummed against his cock as his hips thrust forward slightly of their own accord. His breathing was coming in strangled pants, his moans echoed through the room. He was so close, _so close._

"S-Still… not getting… s-seven." He chuckled slightly despite himself, knowing it would egg her on.

Still, Natsu had to hold back a yelp of surprise and pleasure as Lucy bobbed her head forward, causing his tip to graze the back of her throat. The sensation was so much better than any moonshine she could sell him. The things she could do with that mouth amazed him. She'd used it on him before, but never quite like _this._

She repeated the motion and this time Natsu couldn't control the volume of his moan. It was a wonder the bar staff weren't wondering what the hell was going on back here. Though if they heard the sounds, they could probably guess. Natsu was so close to the edge he didn't really give a shit.

But all of a sudden, the heat of Lucy's mouth left him.

He looked down. Lucy was looking up at him, her lips wet with saliva and so precariously close to his tip. She stroked his throbbing length idly while she gazed up at him, but it wasn't quite enough to give him release.

"You gonna give me my seven?" She asked innocently.

He was putty in her hands.

"You gonna finish?" She smirked at the breathiness of his voice.

Now he was putty in her mouth.

All it took was three hard sucks and Natsu spilled into her mouth. His whole body sagged at the relief of the tension that had built up in him since last night. Lucy swallowed without complaint before pulling away and standing.

"Do I get my seven?" She asked, a bead of cum still dribbling down her chin.

"Fuck seven," Natsu rasped, "You can have eight."


	6. The Other Half

**A/N: I have sinned.**

 **Summary: After discovering her friends Levy and Juvia are more than what they seem, Lucy ventures to an underground club- Fairy Tail- that caters to those who are half human and half something else. When a certain halfling refuses to believe Lucy is wholly ordinary, she has some fun convincing him otherwise.**

 ***WARNING* NSFW throughout.**

* * *

Lucy really had no business being in Fairy Tail.

Even by human standards, she was a pretty normal girl. Cute, bookish, a little strange at times, but definitely normal. Unlike the bars other patrons.

In Fairy Tail, everyone was just a little bit more than human.

Except Lucy.

Under normal circumstances, she wouldn't have even been able to _see_ the bar, much less enter it. But her circumstances were far from normal. When she'd finally confronted her friends Levy and Juvia about their unwillingness to bring her out with them, she had expected that they'd simply grown tired of her. All of her guesses had been so far from the truth.

The truth being that Levy and Juvia were only half human.

Fairy Tail was a place for people like them, not for people like Lucy. Whereas Levy was half sprite, and Juvia was half naiad, Lucy was wholly human. She had no business dabbling with halflings in a magical underground bar.

And yet, here she was.

Juvia had eloped with a man who Lucy was _sure_ had frost in his hair, and Levy had yet to arrive. The spite Halfling had been reluctant to bring Lucy here, but the blonde had managed to win her over. Although, Levy's previous insistences that Fairy Tail was no place for mere humans left Lucy feeling a little unnerved as she sat alone at the bar.

Myths of humans being trapped in the faerie world after eating their food resurfaced in her mind.

"Seriously, this is ridiculous. You have _got_ to tone it down."

Lucy turned to face the stranger who had spoken with an eyebrow raised in confusion.

"Tone what down?" She asked.

The stranger gestured to the silver haired barmaid as he slid into the seat next to her. Aside from his startlingly pink hair, he seemed... normal. Human. If he was a halfling, she couldn't tell what his magical half was. Although if she had to guess, judging by his tanned skin, lean figure and sharp features, she would have to go with him being a demigod.

If those were even real.

"The whole 'enticing' thing," the man rolled his eyes, "Seriously. Every guy in here is staring at you. Even some girls too."

Lucy blushed at the boldness of his compliment.

"T-thank you." She stammered as the barmaid set his drink down in front of him.

He must be a regular if she knows his order, Lucy thought. _What is he?_

"Pft, like you don't know," The man snorted. Lucy's eyes widened when _smoke_ blew out from his nostrils at the action. He seemed unsurprised as he raised his glass to his lips, "You sirens are all the same. Doesn't the naivety card ever get boring for you guys?"

Lucy blanched. _Siren?_

"I-I'm not a siren." She blushed.

"Fine, be specific," The stranger rolled his eyes, " _Half_ siren then."

"I'm not even _half_ siren." Lucy insisted.

The man furrowed his eyebrows, inspecting her out of the corner of his eyes as he finished off his drink. It didn't look as though he believed her, but he was _definitely_ admiring the way her short silver dress clung to her curves. He was so obvious about it that it made her blush, squirming a little under his gaze.

A smirk danced across his lips as he set his glass back down and leaned a little closer.

"If you're not a siren, what are you then?" He asked in a low voice.

A distant part of her brain wondered if that was a rude question to ask in an establishment such as this, but her thoughts were more focused on her answer. Would the truth get her into trouble? The stranger certainly seemed mischievous enough. He was staring straight at her in a way that made it difficult to lie.

"Human." She found herself answering.

"Yes," He chuckled, "And what else?"

"Nothing," Lucy gulped as he leaned in even closer, "Just human,"

The stranger drew back a fraction at her answer. He didn't seem disgusted or angry, just a little perplexed. His dark eyes flitted across her features before he laughed to himself and leaned back in.

"Nuh uh," He shook his head playfully, that smirk flashing across his face again and doing funny things to her stomach. She could hear his voice, so deliciously low, even over the swell of the beating music, "You smell too good to be _just_ human."

Lucy let out a shaky breath as his eyes fixed themselves on her lips. A warm pressure rested itself on her thigh, her blood heating when she looked down to see a tanned hand caressing pale flesh. When her gaze returned to the strangers face, he had a hungry glint in his eyes that should have scared her, but instead it made her want to move closer.

His hot breath fanned her face just before she was yanked harshly off her barstool.

Lucy yelped as she struggled not to fall flat on her face. A small hand tugged urgently on her wrist, the same hand that had pulled her from the handsome stranger. Lucy turned as Levy dragged her through the crowd to see him looking after her with that glint still in his eyes.

Levy's grasp was tight on Lucy's wrist, even as Lucy fought to pull herself free.

"Levyyy." Lucy whined.

"Where in the seven hell's is Juvia?" The halfling mumbled to herself, pointedly ignoring Lucy's protests.

"Making out with some guy that looked like Jack Frost." Lucy offered.

" _Again?_ " Levy squealed.

Lucy snickered. Levy was simply adorable when she was angry, but gods have mercy on the fool that actually _told_ her that. Sprites were vicious little creatures. Emphasis on 'little'. Levy's only physical clues to her strange heritage were her height- or lack thereof- and her delicately pointed ears.

There was also her unusually bright eyes, which had seemed to spot something in the crowd. Levy dragged Lucy over to the other side of the bar where table booths lined the walls. Lucy was about to start protesting about which booth the sprite seemed to be directing them to, it was clearly already occupied by two people who were… getting to know each other. Very intimately.

But then Lucy's human eyes realised one of the figures was Juvia.

Lucy and Levy stopped at the edge of the booth, stunned into silence as they watched their friend. Juvia was straddling the 'Jack Frost' looking guy, as Lucy had put it, in the corner of the booth. Their lips clashed together as their hands roamed over each other. Lucy noticed that the man was bare chested and wondered how on earth they were getting away with this in public.

The man opened his eyes as Juvia littered kisses down his jaw. He noticed the two of them standing there, his eyes narrowing. He seemed about to say something rude- probably about enjoying the show- when his eyes finally settled on Lucy. The man smirked, but the look didn't warm her blood anywhere near as much as the pink-haired man's had.

"Care to join us?" He winked at Lucy.

"NO." Levy screeched at him in horror on her behalf.

"GRAY BELONGS TO JUVIA." Juvia screamed at the same time before recapturing the man's lips with her own.

Levy looked around them, seemingly desperate for somewhere else to go. Her bright eyes widened in what Lucy thought looked vaguely like panic before she turned back to her and started to nervously bite her nails.

"Oh, I _knew_ we shouldn't have let you come." Levy muttered around her nails.

"Why?" Lucy pouted, "I was perfectly fine talking to-"

" _Do not,_ " Levy scowled, "Talk to him. _Juvia_ was meant to make sure you didn't talk to _anyone._ "

"Why not?" Lucy asked, becoming a little annoyed. It was although Levy considered her being human as a handicap, "Who is he?"

"No one you need to know."

" _Levy."_

"Ergh, fine," The halfling groaned, "He was Natsu. Son of the Fire Dragon."

"He's half _dragon_?" Lucy gaped.

"Yup."

"Is that… bad?"

" _Bad_?" Levy laughed without humour, "It means he's rude. Cocky. Possessive. Stubborn. Sweet, thoughtful, really _really_ good in the bedroom…"

Lucy's eyes widened in shock and concern as her friend's thoughts ran away with her. Levy became so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even notice the tall, menacing figure coming up behind her.

"You talking 'bout me, Shrimp?"

Levy yelped in surprise as Lucy took a step back from the newcomer. He was covered in piercings and long unruly black hair fell behind his bulky frame. His eyes were a startling red as they gazed down smugly at Levy.

Lucy had no trouble believing _he_ was half dragon.

"G-Gajeel." Levy stammered.

Gajeel chuckled.

"What's say you and me sort this out somewhere else, eh Shrimp?"

"I-" Levy began, but she was cut off as Gajeel snatched her up, throwing her over his shoulder and disappearing into the crowd.

Lucy reached out a hand to protest but it was too late. She turned to ask Juvia if this was normal, but quickly looked away again when she noticed the naiad fumbling with Gray's belt buckle.

Guess she was alone.

Rough hands came out of nowhere and rested on her shoulders. Lucy jumped slightly, but relaxed when the figure turned her to face them.

Natsu.

Now that they were standing, he was a head taller than her. His frame wasn't as large as Gajeel's, but she could tell he was well-built from the way his white shirt stretched across his chest. When a hand wandered up of its own accord to gingerly feel the hard muscles beneath his shirt, Natsu chuckled.

Lucy looked up at him then. She guessed from the smug look in his eyes that he'd had something to do with the appearance of Gajeel, but she was too distracted by the feeling of his rough hands trailing down her bare arms to really think about it.

"Nymph? Nephilim? Banshee?" He guessed, his voice low and eyes curious.

"Banshee?" Lucy laughed, remembering all the scary children's stories about a screaming old crone. She _knew_ she didn't look like that.

"It was just a guess," Natsu shrugged, "Maybe I was hoping I'd get to hear you scream."

Lucy shivered. It was clear he didn't mean the 'omen of death' sort of screaming. Feeling bold, she stepped a little closer. The hand that had rested on his chest moved slowly upwards until her fingers curled around the back of his neck. He leaned down as Lucy tilted her chin back, eyes fixed on her lips.

A thumb under his chin stopped him in his tracks.

"I told you. I'm just a human," Lucy purred as she cocked her head, "Just Lucy."

"Lucy…" Natsu seemed to be tasting the name on his lips as he remained entranced by her.

She couldn't hold back her smirk.

Lucy stepped back out of his embrace, slowly. He followed her step for step, his eyes blazing with a dangerous light that only served to excite her.

What was she doing? She knew hardly a thing about halflings. It was all well and good saying they were half human and half something else, but just how much of that other half determined who they were? If she went home with Natsu, would he have his way with her on a pile of hoarded gold?

From the way Natsu was stalking her through the sea of bodies, she judged that his dragon half had a certain amount of control over his more basic instincts. He was confident in the way he followed her, but his eyes showed just how much he wanted her.

Natsu seemed like a man who often got what he wanted.

Well, now he was going to have to work for it.

Lucy smiled to herself as she paused in the middle of the sea of bodies and began to dance. She was no expert, but she swayed her hips in a way she hoped would be enticing. She glanced at Natsu from under half-lidded eyes as she raked her fingers through her hair, moving it out of her face. He was standing unmoving in the crowd, his arms crossed as he rubbed one of his thumbs over his lips as he watched her.

She noticed his eyes narrow a moment before a pair of wandering hands snaked around her hips, pulling her back closer into a lean chest. Turning slightly, her eyes took in the sight of an orange-haired man with a seductive smile that he flashed at her as his hands continued to wander. Lucy turned back around, shooting Natsu a smug grin as she overlapped the orange-haired man's hands with her own.

Leaning back into the stranger, Lucy bit her lip to keep from laughing at the frown that crossed Natsu's features. His hands dropped to his sides, fists clenching as he began to move through the throng of bodies.

Lucy was sure her body temperature spiked just at Natsu's near proximity, feeling flushed under his intense gaze. His eyes skimmed over the hands on her hips before they met with the face of their owner.

Natsu flashed his teeth in a snarl, and the hands around her waist disappeared.

Stunned slightly by the sudden loss of contact, Lucy turned to see where the man had gone, but before she could spot his face in the crowd, a new pair of hands were clasping her hips and pulling her closer. Warm, calloused hands.

She couldn't help the way she melted against him as he pulled her closer. She let his hands roam across her stomach, down her thighs. Everywhere he didn't touch seemed startlingly cold in comparison to his blazing heat.

When she moved her hair away from her neck in order to feel his breath fanning her skin, she felt rather than heard him chuckle. His chest shuddering slightly against her back as the sound was eaten up by the music. When he spoke, however, he made sure she heard.

"Tonight," He whispered in her ear, "You're _mine_."

Let her be locked away with a dragon. Right now Lucy craved the fire. She was burning up and all she wanted was more. She ground her hips against his in response, the whisper of his hiss sending shivers up her spine. He lowered his head to the crook of her neck, and Lucy couldn't hold back a whimper as his teeth grazed her skin.

 _Holy shit._

Lucy was blind to it- she was too lost in the feeling of Natsu pressed against her, much to his satisfaction- but Natsu noticed the way every male close to them turned their heads in search of that delicious, _intoxicating_ noise.

Natsu's arms tightened around her. Those noises were for him and him alone. Everyone else could _back the fuck off._ He growled to himself, noticing the leering glances people were sending her way. She was definitely something more than human, the way she seemed to enrapture people was proof enough of that. He just didn't know what else she was.

Pride swelled in his chest as he noticed the redness of her skin where his teeth had grazed her. To him, that mark was proof enough of who had claimed her this night, but he didn't trust the bars other patrons to keep their hands off her, not when he could barely manage it himself.

Her scent had been captivating enough, but when he'd ran his tongue along the skin of her neck it had taken all his willpower not to drag her into a dark corner somewhere and fuck her until she saw the stars.

"Your place or mine?" Lucy purred.

Oh, if Levy could hear her now she'd be _dead._ Lucky for Lucy, however, Levy had been captured by her own dragon tonight. Although she expected both their nights would be _far_ from a fairy tale.

Any anxious butterflies she felt in her stomach about running off with a magical stranger were all burned away when Natsu pinched her earlobe between his teeth. When he growled ' _mine'_ into her ear she wasn't sure if he was referring to her question or herself.

For the second time that night, she was pulled across the dancefloor by her wrist, only this time she offered her captor no resistance. Natsu hurriedly pulled her through the throng of people. Lucy laughed at his slight scowl when a few dancers took their time getting out of his way.

Someone was in a hurry to get home.

When they were free from the crowd he shot her a smirk over his shoulder. She expected him to head for the stairs to the left of them, the ones leading out of the club the same way she had come in. But instead, he turned right. Straight down a dimly lit corridor.

Surely he wasn't planning on…?

Just as the thought occurred to her, Natsu turned and clasped her upper arms, moving her so that she would be pressed up against the wall. He was still grinning wildly. She braced herself for the bite of cold stone against her back, but the feeling never came.

Instead, her vision went hazy for a moment. Lucy shook the strange sensation from her head as Natsu pushed her a few more steps backwards. When she opened her eyes again, they were no longer in the dimly lit hallway.

She turned away from Natsu and towards the light that was behind her. Her draw dropped as her eyes took in the sight before her.

They'd somehow travelled to a room- no, a _cave_. A cave lit by flaming torches fixed into the walls and a grand chandelier that hung from the darkness, the candles inside flickering as the wax ran low. The firelight was reflected by the contents of the room. Gold, silver, bronze. Jewels of every kind; piles and piles of them. Antiques seemingly from every century and every culture. Some she knew, some she didn't. And in the middle of it all, directly in front of her, rested a large golden bed.

"H-How did we…?" Lucy gasped, uncomprehending as to why such a vast amount of treasure would be stored in the back of a club.

"Portal," Natsu explained, his voice low as he came up behind her, "Haven't you ever used one before?"

"No." She answered, slowly stepping forward as her eyes travelled over the treasure.

Natsu, who had been reaching for the zipper of her dress, sighed to himself as his fingers met with air.

He watched her as she took in the room. The firelight reflected in her wide brown eyes more perfectly than he'd ever seen it reflected in gold. He followed her with light footsteps as she moved towards an old bureau stacked with ancient books and a pile of drachmas.

"Ah," He warned, catching her hand in his just before her fingers skimmed the spines of his books, moving close behind her as she froze, "Don't touch what isn't yours."

Lucy closed her eyes as his hot breath fanned against her neck, allowing him to wrap his free hand around her waist and draw her flush against him when he placed a kiss against her pulse.

Her eyes drifted back to the bed as he nipped at her neck. The sheets were a royal red. Silk of course. The bed itself seemed old, but showed no signs of decay. The frame was intricate, full of swirls and patterns. The headboard seemed like a piece of art all on its own, until she noticed bands of black at both sides of the gold.

Chains.

Lucy fought back a laugh.

"So, is this where you lock all your princesses up?" She joked.

She felt Natsu smile against her neck.

"That," he began before abruptly spinning her round to face him, "Is a vicious stereotype."

His hands hung loosely at his sides as he looked at her, that mischievous smirk on his lips and the fire in his eyes. It burned so intensely it made her take a step back, although she couldn't look away. Pointed teeth escaped his smirk as he matched her movements, stepping forward.

When his hands rose she took another step back, enjoying their little tango. But he did not reach for her. Instead his tanned fingers opened the top button of his shirt as he took another step forward. Lucy continued to back up, her every step rewarded by the undoing of another button, and followed by another of Natsu's own steps.

By the time her calves hit the foot of the bed, his shirt was fully open.

Her eyes travelled down from his smirk, drinking in the sight of his tan skin. The ridges of his muscles. The V of his hips that led to regions she very much wanted to explore. As her eyes travelled back up his chest, she noticed a hint of red on his collarbone. With light fingers, she pushed his shirt further to the side to find his skin dusted with red scales.

A small gasp escaped her. Her eyes flitted to his. He was watching her intently. He shifted his shoulders, drawing her eyes back to his collarbone just in time to see his skin shift and the scales fade away.

Trying not to let her surprise get to her, she trailed her fingers along his collarbone and up the column of his neck until she brushed the soft pink hair at the nape of his neck. He was still watching her, that fire still in his eyes. She pulled gently, urging him to lean in.

"I've never kidnapped anyone," He whispered as he dipped his head, his mouth forming a devious grin, "They all come willingly."

She could see why just by watching the way his muscles moved as he shrugged off his shirt. More scales dotted his shoulders, but they disappeared with a roll of his shoulders. Natsu chucked when her lips parted slightly of their own accord, fascinated by him.

Before she could even blush at her own gawking he pushed up against her. She knew he intended to push her back against the bed, so at the last moment she twined one of her legs around his and spun them as they fell. She landed on top of him, hands braced either side of his head.

Lucy shifted so that her legs straddled him. His hands squeezed at her thighs before wandering up her body, tracing every dip and curve until his fingers traced her shoulder blades before skimming down her arms and circling her wrists.

Natsu sat up slowly, guiding her hands between them and resting them on his chest where he encircled both her wrists with one hand. He kept her hands pressed above his heartbeat as he used his other to shuffle himself further up the bed. His hold on her wrists forced her to follow. To crawl after him.

Natsu enjoyed the sight.

He stopped moving when his back rested against the headboard, letting go of Lucy's wrists in favour of guiding her by the waist to sit in his lap. Her dress had already been short, and was now riding up her thighs in such a way that made it impossible not to kneed his thumbs into her creamy flesh.

"Kiss me." He told her, his voice husky.

It made her heartbeat race, so she did as she was told. As her lips peppered his gently she remembered her impression of him back at the club. That he was a man who got what he wanted. He probably gave a lot of orders.

She wondered if he could take them too.

"Who are the chains for?" She asked as she paused for breath, her hands resting on his shoulders.

"Take a guess." His lips moved against her jaw as his hands palmed her rear.

She reached for the chains, the cuffs still open, and pulled on them. Testing their strength. The action caused her chest to press against Natsu's even harder.

"Are you going to chain me up?" She whispered in his ear.

Natsu's chest vibrated against hers as he chuckled. She kept hold of the chains as he kissed her neck. His fingers eventually wrapped around her wrists as they had before as he tried to gently prise her hands away.

"Maybe later." He purred.

"So for now," her teeth tugged on his earlobe, distracting him just enough for her to gently pull her own wrists free and click the chuffs shut, "Does that mean it's your turn?"

Lucy pulled back just in time to see Natsu's confused expression before she returned her hands to the panes of his chest.

Then, realisation dawned.

His eyes widened in shock as he pulled uselessly against the chains. They clinked but held firm, even as Natsu struggled. He could lean forward just enough so that their noses brushed, but no further.

Lucy giggled.

"What are you," Natsu growled, "to be able to chain a dragon?"

"Smart?"

He huffed smoke from his nose.

"I _meant_ your other half."

"Oh Natsu," Lucy sighed, leaning in closer so that her lips brushed his when she spoke, "I'm only human."

She kissed him again, harder this time. She pushed him back so that the cool metal of the headboard dug into his back once more as her teeth tugged at his lower lip. The action made him rock his hips up and into hers. He pulled against his chains, desperate to rid himself of his black jeans and tear her silver dress apart.

He could do nothing but sit and writhe as Lucy's hands wandered. He tried to follow her when she pulled back from their kiss, but of course he was held back. Lucy seemed to be enjoying his squirming as she lifted her weight from him and slowly unbuckled his belt.

Her eyes never left his as the leather of his belt hissed against the fabric as it was pulled through the loops of his jeans. Once it was free, she cast it aside before busying herself with the buttons.

Lucy had to hold in a chuckle at the eager way his hips shifted as her fingers hooked in his pants and tugged. She pulled them down to his knees, hearing him sigh in relief as he became free of his constricting layers. She bit her lip as she sat up, eyes settling on his length as the heat blazed between her thighs.

The chink of the chains echoed through the room as Natsu continued to struggle, his whole body straining against them. He could smell it. That twinge in the air. He knew she wanted him. If only he wasn't-

Lucy moved slowly. Her hands trailed down Natsu's sides as she knelt forward. Natsu's hips rose in anticipation, but her lips did not come near his length. Not yet. He could feel her smirk against his skin as she lightly kissed his hipbone.

" _Lucy._ " He growled in warning. She was driving him wild.

And she knew it.

She placed another kiss to his right thigh while letting her fingers wander down to trace patterns against his left. His tip grazed the exposed skin of her chest each time she moved. The contact made him shiver. With each kiss, her lips edged closer. Her hand edged closer. Until-

She sat up abruptly.

"Hang on, I just remembered!" Lucy looked aghast. Natsu frowned even as he panted, his brows furrowing as Lucy's expression turned from innocence to sultry cunning, "I'm not supposed to touch what isn't mine."

And with that, she climbed off him, and the bed.

"LUCY!" Natsu roared in frustration.

She laughed as she kicked off her heels. Natsu could hardly expect to surround her with all that treasure and for her _not_ to have a look through it! The thought was simply preposterous. Her only problem was, the hoard was so vast, she hadn't a clue where to start.

That, and she had an angry halfling chained to the bed.

"This was _not_ how Gajeel said this would go." Natsu muttered to himself, cursing his own naivety.

"What was that?" Lucy glanced at him over her shoulder as she ran her index finger across an old suit of armour.

"Nothing!" He scowled as she continued to poke through his treasures, "Stop touching my stuff! Some of these things are older than your grandmother!"

Lucy didn't doubt his words as her eyes wondered over the carvings of a shield used in a war that time seemed to have forgot. Natsu had collected all sorts of things. There were chests filled with roman armour. Stacks of Mesopotamian pottery. Different sized scarab beetles all in different materials scattered throughout the piles of diamonds and rubies. Jade dragons of varying sizes stood atop Victorian dressers, and jewellery stolen from a long dead queen placed haphazardly on a vanity from a time period Lucy couldn't quite place.

"Do halflings really live this long?" She whispered to herself.

"No," Natsu rolled his eyes, his keen ears having caught her words. Even with his wrists starting to chafe, it was hard to be angry at her. The awe etched deep into her features… it only made her more captivating, "They're from museums, weirdo."

"You're a _thief?_ "

"A historian." He corrected with a wink.

She rolled her eyes and continued her inspection. There were some items she picked up that Natsu practically _whined_ at her 'mishandling' of them. It gave her quite a chuckle, until she came to the more questionable items of his treasure.

"And what, pray tell, do you do with _this_?"

She held up the item in question. A garment- or to be more accurate, a _bra_ \- made of fine threaded gold and adorned with jewels. It seemed just barely big enough to cover her breasts, but she supposed it had been designed that way. What kind of museum Natsu had stolen it from she did _not_ want to know.

"Treasure is treasure," Natsu shrugged, "If it's precious, I handle it _carefully._ It doesn't matter what it is."

Lucy tutted at his words as she pulled at the knot in the back of the garment.

"You should be on _Extreme Hoarders._ " She smirked.

"And _you_ ," He replied, his voice deep, "Should try that on."

Lucy raised an eyebrow at him.

"Are you really in a position to be giving orders?" She smirked back.

Natsu growled.

Red scales rippled across his shoulders, but his attempt at intimidating her failed. She had to give him credit, but it was impossible to look scary whilst you're chained to a bed with your pants around your knees. Even for a half dragon.

She couldn't deny it though, she was curious. The bejewelled bra did not seem to be part of a set, but she spied a beautifully detailed wrap tied around a bust of Caesar like a scarf, and decided that would do just fine.

Lucy slung both items over the top of a screen that was placed near the entrance to the cave. She didn't move behind it to unfasten her dress, earning the satisfying clink of the chains as Natsu strained against them once more. She paced slowly, letting him drink in the sight of her bare back before she disappeared behind the screen.

Natsu groaned.

He thumped his head against the headboard dully. He was such a fool, but he'd be lying if he said he didn't want her. Although he berated her for it, there was something satisfying about watching his glittering treasure spill though her fingers.

Her silhouette was framed against the screen as she changed by the firelight. Her form flickered, but even though he couldn't see her bare flesh his mouth still watered at the thought of it.

Behind the screen, Lucy pulled the wrap tight around her hips. The bra, as she'd expected it to be, was not very concealing. But she supposed Natsu wouldn't mind. She removed the few pins from her hair as she looked at herself in an ornate mirror, letting it fall lose around her shoulders.

And then she stepped out.

The moment he caught sight of her, Natsu was straining against the chains again. The metal groaned against his weight. For a moment she thought either the restrains or the headboard would break. He'd somehow managed to kick off his trousers while she had been changing and was now tied to the bed fully naked. The fire burned in his eyes the hottest she'd ever seen it. He was hungry for her. He was _desperate._

" _ **Lucy**_." His voice was barely above a growl.

She paced forward, hips swaying enticingly. Natsu licked his lips. He told himself to be patient even as he strained against the chains. Oh he couldn't wait to get his hands on her…

She stopped at the foot of the bed.

"But I thought I wasn't allowed to touch what's not mine?" She pouted.

Lucy waited for the roll of his eyes, the quip about her already having rifled through his things. Perhaps a jab about how she was wearing stolen clothes. But that wasn't what she got.

"I _am_ yours." He stated. As though it was a fact. Her heart stopped for a moment, until that smirk reappeared on his lips, "To do with as you please."

She climbed onto the bed. Natsu leant back as she crawled towards him, enjoying the sight even more now that only the barest strips of clothing covered her skin. He smiled as she reclaimed her earlier position astride him, titling his head up to invite her kiss.

Wherever she touched his skin blazed. He hummed into her lazy kisses as her hands wandered down. His hips jolted of their own accord when her hand wrapped around his length, coaxing his desire even though it has stirred back to life the moment she'd emerged from behind the screen.

Her touch was so inviting, so tender it made him hunger for more. She stroked him leisurely as her teeth grazed his jaw but it wasn't enough. His hips bucked into her hand as he released a sound that he wasn't quite sure was a moan or a whine. Likely both.

Lucy responded by pulling back. She cocked her head at him as she shifted her hips; all the while her hand teasing his cock. She'd moved so that her hips were directly above his. He couldn't help but lean forward, wanting to kiss her as she joined them together.

With her hand, she guided him to her core. His eyes fixed on her bottom lip as her teeth pulled at it, while his mind drowned in the feeling of her dragging his tip along her wet heat. She repeated the action, still not allowing him inside of her. This time a whimper escaped her own lips.

That was his breaking point.

Natsu gave one hard pull against his restrains, breaking the chains of his right cuff. Without hesitating, he grabbed the intricate gold bra and ripped it from her chest. He didn't allow himself to become distracted by her generous chest that was now bare to him. Instead he wrapped his hand around her throat.

Lucy gasped, her hands flying to his wrist. He wasn't hurting her, but his grip was firm. She tried not to be distracted by the feel of his slick head against her inner thigh. His gaze on her lips was intense as her mind scrambled for something to say.

"I thought you handled all your treasures carefully?" She questioned, her eyes flitting to the remnants of the garment that had scattered across the silk sheets.

He cocked his head, his eyes scanned her face.

"Oh, I do."

Still with his hand clasped around her throat and his other chained, he guided her slowly by the neck so that she lay beneath him. The silk sheets beneath her were still warm from Natsu's heat. His hand moved from her throat to cup her face as his eyes bore into hers.

"What are you?" He asked again.

"What makes you think I'm more than human?" She laughed softly.

"Humans don't smell as good as you do," He answered as he pressed his chest against hers, "Don't taste as good as you do."

"Did Gajeel tell you that too?"

Natsu bared his teeth at her, ripping his other hand free of his chains with enough force to shake the bed. The hand that had been cupping her face pulled at her hair when she smirked at him. She arched her back in response to his tugging, a soft moan escaping her.

Remembering the wrap draped around her hips, Lucy reached to pull it lose. Natsu caught her hands before her fingers could find the fabric and pinned her wrists above her head. Once he secured both of her hands with one of his own, his free hand reached down and untied her wrap before pulling it from beneath her. But he did not release her hands.

Lucy sighed. Fine. Let him pretend for a while.

Although, she couldn't complain when he began to bite the skin of her breasts. He nipped and sucked at the skin around her nipple, causing a breathy moan to escape her. She wanted to tangle her hands in his hair, to guide the rough motions of his mouth to the peak of her breast, but his grip was firm. No matter how she struggled and squirmed, he kept her hands pinned above her.

His free hand palmed her breast roughly before calloused fingers trailed a line down her stomach. She shifted her hips in anticipation of his free hands destination, causing Natsu to smirk against her skin. He loved the way she responded to his every touch. He didn't have it in him to leave her wanting as she had done to him before.

So he slid two fingers into her pulsing heat as his teeth pinched her firm nipple. Lucy cried out. Natsu glanced up to see her eyes closed, her open mouth soon granting him a moan with a push of his fingers. Her back arched as he continued to stoke inside of her. He watched her, placing a soft kiss to the swell of her breast as he ground his hips against the side of her own.

A throaty moan of his name escaped her lips as his fingers brushed a sensitive spot. The sound made him clench his jaw, his blood _burned_. He wanted to hear that again. He let the hand that had been pinning her wrists skim down her arms as he moved, positioning his hips between her legs as his mouth trailed a path of sloppy kisses to her neglected breast. When his fingers pressed against that soft spot once more, harder this time, his left hand clasped her throat as her back arched off the silk sheets.

Lucy didn't even realise her hands were now free as the waves of pleasure overtook her. She moved her hips in time with the thrusting of Natsu's fingers. Any control she'd had earlier has been lost. As she writhed beneath him Natsu squeezed her throat, reminding her who held the power before letting go of her neck and snaking his arm under the small of her back, lifting her closer.

She wrapped her legs around him, digging her heals into his back, hoping the motion would encourage him to replace his fingers with something better. Something bigger. She felt him hum against her chest as he gave one more languid stroke of his fingers inside of her.

Natsu pulled away, the arm he'd held beneath her settling her down gently. Without his mouth on her or his fingers caressing her, the light sheen of sweat that coated her skin felt cold. She shivered, but she wasn't sure if it was from the cold or the way Natsu was looking at her.

His hands stroked down her thighs that had fallen from his hips when he'd moved to rest on his knees. One hand travelled to the back of her right knee, pushing the back of her thigh so that her leg pressed against her.

"No," She chided him gently, but Natsu froze.

He didn't move as she lightly pulled her leg from his grip, although his chest rose and fell rapidly. Lucy moved so that she kneeled in front of him.

"We do this my way," She purred, "Or not at all."

Natsu growled lowly, giving Lucy a glimpse of his pointed canines that had been nipping at her tender flesh only moments ago. The sight made the pool of heat inside her quiver. She kept her eyes on his mouth for as long as she could as she turned her back on him.

As Lucy bent over, she grinded her ass into Natsu's hips. She was rewarded with a hiss as tanned hands grasped her hips.

"Are you just going to stand there?" Lucy teased, "Or are you going to _do_ something?"

Natsu grinned, his grip on her hips tightening just before he thrust into her core. They both gasped in pleasure at the contact. His hands firm on Lucy's hips as he moved his own, Natsu set a steady pace as his head tipped back in bliss.

Lucy was fighting to hold herself up as Natsu sent shockwaves of pleasure through her with each thrust. It felt amazing, but she wanted _more._ And she knew how to get him to give her it.

He was already listening to the panting of her breaths when she gave the command. _Harder._ He grinned devilishly as he paused for a moment, bending so that his chest pressed against her shoulder blades. His teeth grazed the skin of her neck as his hands wandered away from her hips. His left came to rest just below her ribs while his right clasped her throat once more.

"Like this?" He snarled into her ear as he slammed his hips into hers.

Lucy cried out. If it wasn't for Natsu's hand around her neck she would have been moaning into the silk sheets. Every other grind of his hips was a sharp jolt that hit _just_ the right spot. He had her gasping his name as he nuzzled into her neck, the touch tender when compared to the harsh impact of his hips.

The moment Natsu let go of her neck to support himself, Lucy dropped to the bed. Natsu followed her, his hips alternating between leisurely grinds and harsh thrusts. He peppered kisses over her shoulders as she fisted the sheets, her moans muffled slightly by the fabric.

Her name spilled from his lips in breathy whispers as he neared his high. She responded in kind, her back arching to that her hips lifted slightly, allowing Natsu deeper into her. His last few thrusts were hard enough that Lucy knew her hips would ache tomorrow, but as the tide of her pleasure washed over her, she didn't care.

Natsu reached his own high soon after, every muscle in his body shaking as he struggled to hold his own weight. Both he and Lucy were breathless, their bodies feeling light and boneless in the wake of their shared ecstasy.

Natsu rested his forehead against Lucy's shoulder for a moment before finally pulling out of her. His thighs burned after the momentum of his thrusts, but he managed to move himself to lie on his back next to Lucy, who still hadn't moved.

He smirked at her when he noticed she was still panting.

"Get me a drink?" She suggested just as he propped his arm behind his head, getting comfortable.

Well, he couldn't exactly deny her after _that._ He pulled himself up with a groan, not bothering to dress himself to search for something to drink.

Lucy watched him as she gathered the energy to move. His sweat made his tan skin glisten in the firelight. She wasn't surprised to find her eyes drifting to his rear as she tangled herself in the silk sheets.

"I think you're right," She informed him when he returned with a perfectly aged wine, "About only half of me being human."

"I _knew_ it." Natsu grinned as he sat down, "What's your other half?"

Lucy raised her eyebrow, gesturing to him that they needed glasses. Natsu rolled his eyes but grabbed two large silver chalices from the bedside table none the less. He handed her one before removing the cork from the wine bottle with his teeth.

It was only after he did as instructed and poured her a glass that she offered him her answer with a wink.

"Dragon tamer."


	7. The Summoner

**Summary:** **Desperate times call for desperate measures, but maybe entering another dimension and striking a deal with a mysterious weirdo was a step too far.**

 **A/N: A random oneshot idea I thought up on the train. Hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

Of all the ways that Natsu could have spent his Wednesday morning, he did not think that any of them would result in him running for his life.

And yet, here he was.

Well, perhaps to say he was running for his life was a tad extreme. It would be more accurate to say that he was running for his freedom. Natsu had a nose for trouble, but as it happens, he did _not_ want to go to prison.

So he ran.

He dashed down streets of the unfamiliar city, barrelling into people as he went and shouting apologies over his shoulder. He could hear the cops shouting at people to 'move move move, get outta the way!' but he dared not check behind him. He focused his whole being on running as he made an abrupt turn down an empty back street.

He had no idea where he was going. He made turns on instinct, hoping he would lose his pursuers before he managed to get himself lost in the maze of the city. As he rounded another corner he chanced a glance over his shoulder. Uniformed figures darted into the alley he had just left behind.

Natsu picked up the pace.

As his lungs began to burn his luck ran out. He ducked into a narrow alley that had no way out but the way he'd came in. He couldn't turn back. He skidded to a frantic halt just before he could slam into the wall at the end of the alley. His hands skimmed over the bricks, desperately searching for a way to climb it.

Finding not a single handhold, Natsu kicked the wall in frustration. He moved back, turning to cast his gaze back up the alley. He couldn't see the cops yet, but he could hear them. He rubbed the sweat from his brow and ran his hands through his hair in frustration. There was only two of them, he could fight them right? _Guns you idiot,_ he thought to himself, _they have guns._ He turned back to the wall with his last thread of hope.

To find a door.

Natsu frowned. That _definitely_ hadn't been there a moment ago. But doors didn't just… _appear_ , did they? There was no number on the door, and the red painted wood looked old and worn. It was set at a curious place in the wall, as though it were missing a front step or two. Natsu reached up for the ornate bronze handle in curiosity. His fingers grazed the warm metal just before the door flung open.

He jumped back as the door swung wide. Inside seemed dusty and filled with darkness, until a figure stepped into the light. She leaned her elbow on the doorframe, crossing one ankle over the other as she looked down at him. A curvaceous blonde dressed mostly in sun-kissed colours and golds.

Bangles clinked around both her ankles as his eyes wandered up her body. A wrap decorated with intricate patterns hung low around her waist, revealing the pale skin of her right thigh while the fabric went down to her knee on the other side. An off-white shirt with puffy sleeves that ended at her elbows revealed her pale freckled shoulders to the sun while long chains bearing various charms glittered in the light. Her hair was pulled back into a long ponytail, the soft strands gliding through her ringed fingers as she pulled at it idly.

"Let me guess," She smirked down at him, "You're in a bit of a pinch and you need some place to hide?"

Natsu pulled his gaze away from her strange attire to look her in the eyes. They were honey-brown and full of mischief. His words failed him once he became ensnared in that look. He simply nodded.

The girl laughed. She leaned forward, holding onto the doorway but never stepping out of it as she brought her face closer to his.

"Figures," She huffed, "But all refuge comes at a price you know."

Natsu heard the shouts of the cops somewhere in the distance. Closer than before. He was running out of time. He didn't even tear his gaze away from her to check over his shoulder before he replied.

"I'll pay." He breathed, "I'll do whatever you want."

The girl smiled as if she'd already known his answer.

"Hhmm. It's a good thing you're cute and I'm feeling generous." She purred before using her hold on the door frame to push herself back inside. She beckoned to him with delicate ring-heavy fingers as she stepped backwards, only her eyes were visible as she called to him from within the darkness, "Come in."

Natsu swallowed his nerve and stepped through the door, his skin tingling slightly when he crossed the threshold. The door slammed shut by itself behind him, enveloping him in darkness for a moment before candles scattered throughout the room came to life, along with dim Victorian style lamps that hung precariously on the walls.

He looked around curiously at the dimly lit space. The walls were filled with tapestries and shelves stocked full of unnameable trinkets and plants. To his left was a strange sort of sitting area. An open fire bit burned in the centre of a circle of plush pillows and cushions. To his right was a curtained archway. He could see a similarly styled bedroom through the thin material, an old four-poster bed standing in the centre of the room lined with shelves stacked with books.

In front of him, the girl had settled herself behind a raised counter. The other side of the counter seemed to be a working area of sorts. From what Natsu could see it looked similar to a kitchen. There was a sink stained with bright colours, and cupboards with doors falling of the hinges revealed jars of strange herbs inside.

He felt her eyes on him as he marvelled at the place. He was even sure he caught her smirking again as his eyes travelled to the ceiling. Above him there were small domes, each one painted with different kinds of images. But all of them seemed to share time-worn cracks in their artwork.

"What is this place?" He whispered to himself.

"This is my home." She giggled at him.

"Why aren't there any windows?" He pondered.

"Because there is nothing outside." The girl smiled when he raised an eyebrow at her in question, "This is a space between dimensions. There is nothing beyond these walls."

Natsu stared at her for a moment.

"Who _are_ you?" He wondered in amazement.

"I'm Lucy," She winked, "And you are?"

"Natsu." He answered, shifting nervously on his feet.

"Natsu." She repeated. She looked deep in thought as she leaned forward on the countertop, resting her chin in her hand. Her gaze changed back to playful when she looked down at him again. "Running from the law?"

Natsu scowled. He turned away from her, pacing idly closer to the walls to admire the details of the tapestries and inspect the contents of the shelves.

"Maybe I was just running." He answered without looking at her.

There was something about her. A deep and threatening knowledge that seemed to hide behind her eyes. He didn't want to believe all that 'space between dimensions' nonsense, but how else was he meant to explain the appearing of the door? And it's disappearance, he figured, since the police hadn't come knocking. He was suddenly very wary of the fact that he had promised her something.

"Oh, I know all about that." She mused from her place by the counter, "I've been on the run for so long, I don't remember what it feels like just to stand still." She sighed, "Can't step an inch outside that door, or he'll find me."

Natsu shivered a little despite the heat from the fire. There was something ominous about her words. He didn't know who was after her, but he got the feeling he didn't want to know.

A hand rested on his shoulder.

"Which brings me to your payment." She began as she used her grip on his shoulder to turn him.

He scratched the back of his neck nervously as she looked him over in much the same way he had done to her before. He shoved his hands into his jeans pockets to keep from fidgeting. He was a head taller than her, but she was so strange. Her presence seemed to fill the whole room. The whole dimension.

"Oh, don't look at me like that." Lucy pouted, "It's just a little favour is all."

"W-what kinda favour?" He stuttered out as her hand drifted from his shoulder to his neck.

"You heard what I said, I can't leave this place." She spoke softly as her fingers slipped past his scarf to lightly trace the scar on his neck, "But there are a few things from your world that I need. I would like it if you could go get them for me."

"Sure." He ground out, the words slipping past his lips before he could think about it.

"Perfect!" She beamed.

Her fingers left his neck to clap her hands excitedly together as she bounced up and down on the balls of her feet, causing all the metal that adorned her to jingle. She bounded back up to her workspace, her ponytail hitting him in the face when she turned. Natsu felt he could breathe a little easier without her skin touching his. He wandered back over to stand in front of the counter as she hurried about collecting things from the shelves.

"What do you want me to get?"

"Oh just a few supplies. But first things first," She smiled sweetly as she leaned over the counter, "I need something from _you._ "

"Me?" Natsu asked nervously.

"Something of value, to make sure you'll come back." She elaborated, "Trust is earned Natsu."

"Erm, you can have my scarf?" He suggested hesitantly, "My father gave it to me. That's valuable, right?"

"Yes of course, but it just won't do." She sighed sweetly, "I'll be needing a piece of your soul."

"My _what_?" Natsu squawked.

"Oh hush now, you'll be perfectly fine." Lucy rolled her eyes, "Just look at me; _I've_ been missing a part of my soul for centuries, and my health has never been better. You on the other hand will be reunited with your missing piece in under an hour. And really, it's only a small piece that I need Natsu. It won't even hurt."

His mind struggled to keep up with her words. Missing a part- centuries- only a small piece. What did it all mean?! He rubbed at his temples, feeling another one of his headaches coming on. It seemed like a drastic thing, to cut away a part of your soul. Lucy said trust was earned, so how could he trust her?

"Does it _really_ need to be my soul?" He pleaded.

"Undoubtedly." Her gaze turned serious, "That way I will know if you're going to betray me."

"I won't betray you, I prom-"

"Promises can be broken Natsu." She cut him off, eyes fierce, "Now, you can let me take a piece of your soul so you can do this little errand for me, and once you return I shall put you back together and then you can be on your way. _Or,_ you can refuse my method of payment- which, by the way, is very generous all things considering- and I can dump you in a world different from your own and leave you to suffer. Which shall it be?"

Natsu stared up at her wide-eyed. He didn't really have much of a choice, did he?

"Alright, just-just take it." His shoulders slumped in defeat.

" _Brilliant._ " Lucy smiled.

Was he just paranoid or was that madness in her eyes? He told himself it was simply excitement as she jumped over the counter. She sauntered up him, hips swaying lazily as she walked. He tried not to notice as she stepped into his personal space.

Lucy reached out to him, her fingertips glowing. Natsu squeezed his eyes shut and turned his head away, bracing himself for some sort of pain and wondering how he had managed to get himself into this mess. He clenched his teeth and waited.

"All done." Her voice chimed.

Natsu opened one eye experimentally. Lucy was turning away from him, a soft white glow cradled in her hands. He leaned forward to look at it, but she curled herself around it protectively.

"Ah ah ah," She chided, "If you want to see your own soul, you'll have to reach Enlightenment first."

He frowned in confusion at her words as she ascended the few steps to her work place, settling herself behind the counter once more.

"So that's it then?" He questioned, "I just go do your grocery shopping now?"

Lucy smiled at him mysteriously as she seemed to caress the light in her hands. Natsu felt heat rise to his cheeks. That was a part of his _soul_ she was touching so tenderly. She raised it to her face, the light illuminating her features. The reflection glowed in her eyes, which never left his as her lips moved closer to the piece of him cradled in her palm.

 _It's a little bit more essential than grocery shopping._

Natsu screamed.

Her words- her voice- _in his head._ Lucy laughed as he clutched at his head, breathing frantic. He was sure he was having a panic attack. A panic attack in another dimension. How brilliant.

"Natsu, it's alright." Lucy assured him, speaking out loud this time, "It was just a Whisper."

"A Whisper?" Natsu squeaked, "What does that even mean?! You keep saying things I don't understand! This is all crazy!"

"The only thing that's crazy here is you." Lucy rolled her eyes, "Honestly, it's like you've never had another person's voice in your head before."

"I _haven't._ " Natsu replied aghast, still clutching at his head.

" _Humans._ " She scoffed, "How else am I meant to communicate with you while you run my errands?"

"Erm, a _phone?_ " He all but shouted at her.

"Oh yes! Let me just give you my number: 0800 NOWHERE." She drawled sarcastically a she gestured to the door behind him. He felt warm air assault his back as she turned away from him. "Just get out and get my things. Gods, you are annoying."

"And you're weird!" He protested.

 _Natsu,_ her voice rang inside his head, _The faster you get this errand done, the faster you'll stop hearing my voice in your head._

He couldn't argue with that. He stopped pulling at his hair and turned to leave.

 _Make sure you close the door on your way out._ He felt rather than heard the laughter in her voice.

He stepped out into the light, closing the door behind him as instructed. Heat and sound and smells washed over him. He regretted wearing both leather jacket and a scarf as he felt himself begin to sweat in the early afternoon heat. He squinted up at the sun, deciding he should leave his jacket in Lucy's. But when he turned, the door was gone.

No one else seemed to notice, despite the crowded area. He was at some sort of market place. A maze of stalls spread out in front of him before they eventually grew into a large, open building. Everything was so much different here than the city he had just been in. The heat, the buildings, the people. All of them wore strange clothing, though not as strange as Lucy's.

"Where am I?" He wondered aloud.

 _Marrakech,_ Lucy answered in his mind, _Now head over to that building._

It was still strange hearing a voice that wasn't his own in his mind, but he pushed down a shiver and got going. Lucy gave him directions as he passed though the stalls. He followed each one without question.

"How can you see me anyway?" He wondered.

 _Through my crystal ball._

"Really?" He snorted.

 _No,_ Lucy answered, the sarcasm not translating in his mind. _Now stop talking out loud, you idiot. People are looking at you funny._

Natsu sighed as he stepped into the building. The market continued inside, but it was more organised within. Sellers had rooms instead of tables. Each store hung goods outside its doors, tempting buyers to come in and relieve themselves of a few coin.

He wandered further in, awaiting Lucy's next order. When it didn't come, he paused. He tried to reach out to her in his mind but wasn't sure how. He looked around him, his eyes tracing over the stores and their goods.

 _There,_ Lucy's voice surprised him as his eyes came to rest on a plain looking store with a bulky blonde man stood outside its entrance. _That's where you're heading._

Natsu started in that direction, but the closer he got to the man at the door, the more nervous he became. No one walked within a good five meters of the guy. If they did, the man would scowl at them, the shift in his features causing his lightning shaped scar to contort a little.

 _Relax, Laxus is a real sweetheart really._ Lucy laughed in his mind, seeming to sense his hesitation. _Just go up to him and tell him that The Summoner sent you. He won't give you any trouble._

He assumed that Lucy was The Summoner in question. The title made him curious. Something about it seemed to command a certain air of respect, although he didn't really know what it meant.

"What can you summon?" He whispered curiously.

He felt Lucy laugh in his head.

 _A better question would be, what_ _ **can't**_ _I summon?_

Natsu felt a shiver go down his spine.

The blonde man- Laxus- glared at him when he approached. The scarred man had been leaning against the door, but now straightened himself. His muscled bulged as he crossed his arms over his chest. Natsu gulped.

Laxus said something in a language he didn't understand.

"Erm," Natsu smiled awkwardly, "The Summoner sent me?"

Laxus raised a sceptical eyebrow.

"She did, did she?" He asked in a rough voice before shrugging his shoulders and stepping to the side, "Go on in then."

Natsu was surprised at how easily he let him by, but he didn't hesitate to open the door. He didn't want any trouble. It was only once he'd stepped through that he wondered if he'd end up in another dimension again. But the heavy set of the air didn't change much, and he didn't feel the strange tingling on his skin like he had when he'd stepping through Lucy's door, so he assumed he was still in Marrakech.

He also wondered how in the hell he was meant to pay for whatever it was that Lucy was being. Oh god. What if _he_ was the payment?

 _Stop being paranoid,_ Lucy scolded in his head. _I've paid him already._

The 'he' in question seemed to be the shortest old man Natsu had ever seen. Natsu had spotted him sitting on a table through the various wind chimes and plants that hung from the ceiling. He pushed them aside, taking in his surroundings as he stepped towards the old man. The place seemed similar to Lucy's, albeit a little more presentable.

When he got close enough, Natsu noticed the pale glaze over the old man's eyes and his vacant stare. He waved a hand in front of his face.

 _Careful,_ Lucy chided, _Makarov is blind, but there are many things he still sees._

"How can I help you young man?" The old man croaked, not even looking in his general direction.

Natsu jumped back in surprise, only just managing to stop himself from screaming. The old man-Makarov- cracked his spine as he awaited Natsu's reply.

 _Well Natsu, as fun as watching you embarrass yourself is, I have things to do._ Lucy informed him. _Tell Makarov you're here to collect for The Summoner_ , _and head straight back to the door once you've got my stuff. Be sure to knock before you enter._

And with that, her voice went quiet. He couldn't explain it, he just knew deep in his gut that she wasn't watching anymore. He wondered what had called her attention away.

"I'm, ah, here to collect for The Summoner." Natsu told Makarov.

"Ah, Lucy." Makarov smiled, "Yes, yes. I have her things ready."

The old man jumped down from the table, disappearing off behind the shelves. Natsu fidgeted with his scarf as he waited, eyes wandering around the dimly lit store. The shelves were stacked full of items that were completely foreign to him. He had no idea what they sold here.

Makarov returned a moment later, his blank eyes finally seemed to settle on Natsu. The old man stopped in his tracks. Natsu was positive he was staring at him. Makarov sighed.

"First that damn lion, now you." The old man mumbled before addressing Natsu directly, "Dragon. Demon. Which is it boy? Your aura is positively at war with itself."

"My… my what?" Natsu frowned in confusion.

Makarov sighed again.

"Erza!" He bellowed.

Natsu jumped slightly. The old man climbed back onto his table, Lucy's package tucked under his arm, as a figure stepped out from the back room.

It was a girl, tall and striking. She tucked a lock of her blood-red hair behind her ear as she came to stand by the old man's table.

"Yes Master?"

"Take a look at this mess." The 'Master' gestured to Natsu flippantly.

Natsu scowled at him before turning his attention to the newcomer. She had an intimating air about her, but she did as the old man had instructed and turned to face him. Natsu thought he couldn't get any more confused by all the things that had happened to him today, but then Erza covered her left eye with her hand and stared at him intently.

Erza recoiled.

"I've never seen anything like this before." She gasped. Her voice turned grave as she lowered her hand. "You _really_ need to see a Redintegro about that."

"Why?" He asked, not bothering to ask what an earth a _Redintegro_ was.

None of these people ever seemed to give him a straight answer. And besides, once this errand was done, he'd be finished with this whole weird world and go back to his normal life.

Right?

" _Why?_ " Makarov repeated in a patronising voice, "Because if you don't get that fixed soon it'll tear you part my boy. There'll be nothing left of you but ash."

Natsu stared at their serious expressions for a moment. He had… no idea what they were talking about. This was all so weird. He couldn't even _imagine_ half of the weird shit that had gone on today. It was all so much more confusing than a dream, but he decided he was going to treat it like one. He didn't have the patience to deal with much more of this. His head was throbbing and he needed a nap.

"Riiiiight, well then," Natsu breathed out, "If it's all the same to you, I think I'll just take Lucy's things and go now."

Erza and Makarov shared a look. Natsu had to try very hard not to snap at them. Eventually, Makarov handed over the package.

"Tell me boy," Makarov spoke quietly as they both held onto each end of the package, "Do you get headaches?"

Natsu's eyes widened. He'd been to the doctors about his headaches too many times to count. Makarov's question made him uneasy. It seemed loaded with something Natsu wasn't ready to understand.

He yanked the package from the old man's grip, his mouth thinning into a harsh line. Erza visibly bristled at his behaviour, but he didn't spare her so much as a nod as he turned and walked out the door.

Laxus moved back into position the moment Natsu stepped back out into the heat. He didn't say goodbye to the guard either. He merely tucked the package under his arm and stormed though the market place back to the deserted alley way.

The door was waiting for him when he got there.

He knocked twice and the door creaked open, this time he didn't hesitate to step inside. The tingling feeling crept across his skin again as he entered Lucy's domain. The Summoner herself was sat cross legged on the raised counter as he shut the door behind him, stroking the shard of his soul like a cat.

"You got my package?" She smiled down at him.

"Yeah, I got your package." He held up the box and shuck it, hoping to annoy her as the contents battered about inside, "But I'll have that piece of my soul back first if it's alright with you."

"Of course." Lucy smirked.

He squinted at her. She smiled devilishly as she shifted on the counter to face him head on. She raised her cradled palms above her head, staring at him all the while. When Natsu took a step forward, she winked at him.

He watched, horrified, as she tipped her head back and pushed the ball of light into her mouth. He could see the glow through her cheeks when she took her hands away. He could barely form a thought. Had she just _eaten_ a piece of his _soul_?!

Lucy launched herself of the counter. Natsu didn't even have time to react as she spirnted towards him. She reached out to him, her right hand glowed as she pushed it against his chest, but her other remained normal as she cupped the back of his neck and pulled his head down. She stood on her lip toes, rising so that her mouth met his.

He was frozen as she pushed her tongue inside his mouth, and then all of a sudden the breath was knocked out of him. She let go of him as he stumbled back, gasping for breath. He dropped the package as his hands clutched his chest. Lucy swooped down to catch it before it hit the ground.

Natsu struggled for breath for a moment before his body finally seemed to remember how to breathe. He flopped down onto the cushions around the fire pit as he breathed in deep lungful's. Lucy seemed unconcerned as she pulled at the strings on her package.

"How was the trip?" She asked him casually.

He shot her a look as his chest continued to heave.

"Your friends are almost as crazy as you." He snapped, "And apparently 'my aura is at war with itself', whatever that means."

Lucy's head snapped to him, a frown pulling at her features.

"Your what?"

"What's what I said." He drawled, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he continued, "Quick. Get me to a Redinta- Redateg- Red whatever. I don't care.

Lucy cocked her head. Natsu rubbed at his forehead as he watched her set the package down gently on the counter, still unopened. Part of him was curious what was inside, the other part didn't _want_ to know. As soon as he stopped wheezing he was out of here.

"A Redintegro?" Lucy guessed as she moved to stand above him.

"Yeah, that."

Lucy pursed her lips. He could practically see the gears in her head turning as she stared down at him. She raised her hands, the bangles around her wrists clinking together as she crossed her hands in front of her face a few times. Natsu watched curiously as she smoothed her fingers across her closed eyes.

When she opened them, they were glowing.

" _Oh._ "

"What?" Natsu sat up as his anxiety grew.

What was it? What was it about him that was wrong that these people could see? He was worried now. And not just because of Lucy's pupil-less golden stare.

"I'm sorry Natsu," She shook her head sadly, "Not even a hundred Redintegro's could fix that mess."

"What _mess_?" He demanded, "What's wrong with me?"

"Your aura." She said simply.

"What the fuck is an aura?!" He screamed, his frustration finally reaching its peak. "Why can't I see yours?"

Lucy snorted.

"It would blind you if you could." She smirked, blinking hard to return her eyes to their normal honey-brown.

"What does that mean?" He shouted, "What does any of this mean?!"

Lucy crossed her arms and stroked her chin in thought, pondering his question as though it were an incredibly difficult one. All he wanted was answers!

Lucy clicked her fingers.

"Oh, what kind of a Summoner would I be if I let one of my errand boys fall apart at the seams?" She scolded herself before turning her attention to Natsu with a determined smile, "If we want to fix your aura we're going to need three things!"

She offered him a hand to help him up, but Natsu felt like the gesture was more than that. If he took her hand, he would be agreeing to let her help. To let her _fix_ him. If he had to give her a piece of his soul to pick up a parcel, god knew what price would have to pay for this. The charge for refuge had been high enough.

 _There'll be nothing left of you but ash._

The old man's words rang in his head. It seemed fate was making the choices for him today.

He took Lucy's hand.

"The first is a Summoner," She beamed as she pulled him to his feet, "Of which there is only one in whole universe, and luckily, she's willing to help."

"But at a price, right?" He guessed.

"Oh Natsu, nobody ever does anything for free these days." She winked, "We can work out the details later."

"What's the second thing?"

"A Redintegro of course. But not just any Redintegro. A _master_ of the art."

"All right," Natsu smiled nervously, still not understanding what one of those was, "Where do we find one of those?"

"Oh, you just leave that to me."

She gestured to the door behind him. As before the door opened of its own accord, but this time cool air flooded into the room. When he looked out, Natsu was greeted with the familiar sight of the alley way from this morning.

"I thought you couldn't leave this place?" Natsu frowned, noticing the flaw in her plan.

"I can't," She smirked, "But what I can't go to, I can make come to me."

Natsu couldn't help but smirk back at her. It was the first time he'd really smiled at her at all during their whole encounter. She seemed quite pleased by it.

At least, he thought she was, until she pushed him out the door.

He fell flat on his ass in the dirt.

"The third is for you to find." Lucy gazed down sternly at him from her place in the doorway, "Only you can find it Natsu. No one can help you. And no one can tell you where to find it."

"What is it?" He asked gravely.

Lucy smiled, a slight chuckle escaping her lips.

"Why, your soulmate of course."

And with that, she shut the door.


	8. The Hunted & The Hunter

**Summary: The middle of a battlefield is not the most convenient place for destiny to finally catch up with you.**

 **A/N: A small oneshot that I may or may not continue. Hope you guys enjoy!**

* * *

Lucy struggled to her feet as the smoke burnt her lungs. She leaned heavily on her sword as she clutched at her side, wishing her leather armour wasn't as tight and cursing it for its bare minimum protection against the slice of a blade. Her fallen enemy reached for her in his last heartbeats of life, his eyes wide and full of sorrow.

She couldn't bear to look so she turned away, bile rising in her throat. She hadn't wanted to kill him. She hadn't wanted to kill _anyone._ They were all just pawns fighting in a war that wasn't their own. Lucy felt a burst of hatred ignite in her stomach for not just her own kingdom but for all of them as she took in the sight of the battlefield. Hundreds had fallen. The once lush fields were nothing more than dirt and blood, corpses pilling high as far as the eye could see. The battle was not yet over, but she knew already that there would be no winner. Both sides had lost too much.

The sky itself had turned red, the clouds black with smoke. None of her nightmares had ever compared to this. Even as she surged on, straightening her back and gripping her sword tightly, her limbs still shook with terror. No enemies approached her as she wandered aimlessly over the new-born wasteland, but she still kept her sword at the ready. Even as her eyes scanned the faces of the dead, desperately hoping she wouldn't see one she recognised.

Her mind flashed back to the faces of her regiment. Her friends. All of them so young, so full of courage and yet so afraid. All of them forced to fight. To ignore the call to arms was to disgrace yourself, your family. The punishment itself seeming much worse than death. She remembered their nervous chatter around the fire the night before, how their faces looked in the fire light. She'd drank in every detail of them. The nervous twitch the Gajeel's smirk even as he boasted about his fighting prowess. The methodical way in which Erza counted her weapons. How Juvia moved closer to Gray when she thought no one was looking, and how he silently took her hand when he thought the same. Levy's fidgeting as she instead they would all see each other on the other side. Lucy had not been sure what the small girl had meant. The other side of the battle or the other side of life. She had been too afraid to ask.

Lucy called out to them. All of them. Not caring if she attracted enemy attention. She needed to find someone, _anyone._ She _couldn't_ be the only one to make it out alive. She'd rather die herself than lose everyone.

Her head snapped up to the sky as a crash echoed through the heavens. A flash of red-tinged lightning flashed through the smoke, the fires of the battle field blazing anew.

"The Hunt." Lucy whispered to herself, heart seizing in terror.

Gathering all her strength she broke into a sprint, calling out desperately for her friends. If there was any chance- any chance at all- that her friends were still alive, she would lose it soon. If misery was strong enough, if pain and despair and terror were felt in the hearts of hundreds, The Hunt readied their horses. It was time for souls to be collected, and the demons that raced across the sky and down to earth in that one flash of red lighting did not care if a soul was still in use. Anything was theirs for the taking.

Her heart jolted at every shock of blue hair or shattered sword she glimpsed on the fallen but she couldn't stop to check. Soon the battlefield would be plagued by demons and it wouldn't matter or not if her friends were dead, because they soon would be. She needed to get away. She needed to _run._

Voice hoarse from calling out to her friends, she couldn't even yelp in surprise as an injured enemy clutched at her feet. She tumbled to the ground, grip remaining tight on her sword so as not to lose it. Pushing herself up on her elbows she turned to look at her assailant. She yanked her foot away easily, the girl who had caught her ankle looking at her with eyes filled with fear and regret. Lucy felt her lip begin to tremble and her eyes fill with tears. Yes, the girl wore the colours of her supposed enemies, but she looked no older than Lucy herself. Lucy's heart went out to her as she noticed one of the girl's legs was missing below the knee. She wanted to help her so desperately but what could she possibly do?

Chocking back a sob, Lucy moved to kneel over the girl. Even if she hadn't been missing a leg, her wounds were grave. It would take more than mere regimental medics to keep her alive. Help that Lucy would not be able to get her to in time. The girl's eyes were pleading as she reached feebly for Lucy's hand, the one that held her sword.

Begging. The girl was _begging_ Lucy to kill her. Nothing came out her mouth but blood, but Lucy knew. She could read the words on the dying girl's lips.

Lucy's limbs felt heavy as she wrapped both hands around the hilt of her sword, raising it so that the tip of the blade rested over the girl's heart. The girl nodded at her. It was with a pained cry that Lucy drove the blade downwards.

Lucy let her tears fall at the reality of the war. That girl had once had a home. Perhaps a family. And now she was dead. Died for a cause she didn't believe in. _Perhaps letting The Hunt take you is easier than living,_ Lucy thought. After all, she was already in Hell.

"How rude," A voice quipped behind her, "That one was mine."

Lucy stood and turned, pushing the sound of the blade as it withdrew from the girl's chest to the back of her mind as she levelled her sword at the person who had spoken. Her stance began to waver when she realised who stood before her.

He looked just as he had on all the times she had seen him before, his likeness painted on temple walls. But paintings were not the same as seeing him in the flesh. Paintings could not capture the eerie glow of the lamp he carried that hung from the end of an iron staff. The light of collected souls. Paintings did not capture the way the flames of battle shone against the red scales that speckled his cheeks and shoulders. They did not catch the sharpness of his horns, of the bone that protruded from his wings. And of course, she could look at his eyes in the paintings and walk away with a still beating heart.

If legends were to be believed, in the flesh she would not be so lucky. Nobody looked END in the eye and lived. And now Lucy knew that all the paintings she had seen had got one thing wrong. His eyes were not black, but green.

"You." She breathed, fighting to force her trembling hands to still, "I know who you are."

"Oh really?" He drawled.

He seemed amused, his voice lilting with humour. But Lucy wasn't laughing. Perhaps if he was anyone else, she would have. She would have chuckled at the pink of his messy hair. But he wasn't anyone else. He was one of The Wild Hunt, and the next in line to the throne of hell.

"I've seen your face. It is plastered across every temple in the City of the Dead. I know your name."

"Say it." He snapped.

She caught sight of his pointed teeth as he grinned savagely at her. He was looking at her in a strange way. Like there was madness inside him that was fighting to get out. He seemed tense. Ready to spring at her at any moment. She flinched at his sharp command, but answered him anyway.

"Etherious." She replied. Saying it aloud made it seem more real. Made _him_ seem more real. If it was real, she could fight it. Her voice was stronger when she continued. "Etherious Natsu Dragneel."

END chuckled.

"I prefer just Natsu."

He took a step towards her, that lazy smirk still on his lips. Lucy took a step back, improving her stance and levelling her sword at him with a confidence she didn't really possess. No part of her expected to fight END and live, but she would be damned if she didn't go down without a fight.

He raised an eyebrow at her dull steal sword as he continued to pace forward. Lucy fought every ounce in her body not to move, not to tremble. She gripped her sword so tightly her knuckles were white. She was terrified, but Natsu just seemed bored.

"You think you can kill me?" He asked as though he was trying very hard not to laugh as he stepped closer to her, "No mortal blade can pierce a demons heart."

Even as he said it, he pushed himself onto her blade. He should have bled, should have cried out as the blade pierced his heart, but instead he just looked down at her smugly as her blood went cold with horror. It was as if the blade wasn't even touching him. She stared at it as he moved so that her sword sunk further into him. It seemed to just _pass through him._ As though he were nothing but shadows.

The closer he got, the more her body shook. Just one touch. That's what all the legends said it took for him to tear the very soul from your body. Just one single touch. The real horror of the legends were worse. She could almost see the truth of them in his eyes. END could kill you with just one touch, but where was the fun in that?

His chest was almost to the hilt of her sword when an instinct clicked inside of her. It was his words, _no mortal blade,_ which had sparked it into action. Still holding her sword with her left hand, her right reached to the dagger at her belt, the silver hilt tarnished by blood.

She pulled back her sword, slicing her dagger upwards and catching the demon on his right cheek as he stepped back a moment too late. He hissed at the pain, touching his fingers to his cheek as he glared at her. Black blood poured from the wound and stained his fingertips. His grip on the iron staff tightened. He glared at her and snarled.

"Death has put a high price on your head, _Lucy Heartfilia._ "

Lucy sucked in a startled breath. How did he know her name? The dagger in her hand seemed to hum in fury. She had resisted using it for so long. She had known the truth for so long. Since the moment her mother had given it to her. But she had been childish and stupid. She had wanted to believe that her destiny was her own. That her life was more than what had been drawn out in some ancient prophecy.

It seemed Fate was finally catching up with her.

"My whole world is war. My fight is futile." Lucy glared back at him, "Death can take me whenever they choose."

Natsu shook his head with a grin, blood still dripping down his cheek. He stepped forward again, not fearing the dagger in her hand that had cut him so easily.

"Your fight is futile," He repeated, "And yet, you still fight it."

He moved so fast she had no time to react. One second he was standing in from of her, almost mimicking the position he was so often painted in, and the next his staff was sunk into the earth, lantern swaying precariously as he shot forward and clasped her hand. His fingers overlapped hers around the dagger. She tried to run him through with her sword but of course it was useless. His grip on her hand was bruising. The tip of her dagger glowed as though she was holding it over a fire the closer he brought it to his skin.

"Make no mistake Lucy, it is not just Death that searches for you." His breath fanned against her face as he spoke, he was so close, "The Hunt ride with you in their sights, the furies call your name into the night, the fates search for a blade sharp enough to cut short the thread of your life. But only _one_ shall reap the rewards of killing you. Of collecting your soul."

"And you think _you're_ the one that'll cash in that reward?" Lucy scowled as she struggled in vain against his grip.

"Oh, I know that I _could,_ " He grinned, "But who ever said I wanted your soul?"

He let go of her hand. The dagger hovered inches away from his face, the tip still glowing and his cheek still dripping with blood. But he didn't move away. He stared at her. His green eyes deep and piercing.

"We all have destiny's Lucy," His voice was quiet and rough. He inched forward slowly. Lucy dared not move as their noses brushed, and he shifted his head so that he whispered in her ear, "If you think yours is as simple as following that blade in your hands, you are sorely mistaken."

"What do you know of destiny?" Lucy's voice was low and full of anger, but her body was still frozen, "You've been stuck in the same circle of hell for eternity. Crawling out of your pit just to cause misery and steal souls."

"Misery humans make for themselves. And as for the souls, I never take ones that are still in use. Besides," He turned his head so that his lips brushed her cheek when he whispered to her, "I much prefer to steal a heart."

Lucy snapped into action. She swung her dagger but this time Natsu was ready for it. He dodged easily, moving out of her range with a laugh and retrieving his staff.

She stood staring at him, her whole body shaking. She should be dead. He had touched her. Undoubtedly. She could still feel the ghost of his lips on her cheek. He'd touched her and yet she was _still alive._

As if sensing her thoughts, Natsu smiled at her.

"Not _all_ the legends are true. Perhaps maybe you will save us all," He seemed to ponder as he took a few easy steps backwards, his form fading with every inch he drew further away from her, "But if I were you, I would start by saving your friends."

As if summoned by his cryptic words, a shout sounded behind her. She turned instinctively, shoulders sagging slightly in relief as a pale boy with jet black hair and a bare blood splattered chest came limping towards her. She remembered too late the threat that lay behind her, but when she turned again to face him, the demon was gone.

She let herself linger on the strange occurrence for only a moment. She had looked END in the eye and lived. _Touched him_ and lived. Or rather, he had touched her. Talked to her. What could a demon want from her? A scared little girl who was apparently running from more than just her destiny.

They were questions she would have to ponder on later. Gray called out to her again and she ran towards him. Thankful to find one of her friends alive.

"Juvia," He was panting when she finally reached him, "I can't find Juvia."

"Don't worry," She urged him as she looped one of his arms over her shoulders, "We'll find her. She'll be alright."

"Our whole regiment got split up Lucy. How could you possibly know that?"

She thought again of her friends the night before as they had sat around the camp fire. They had been thrown together under unfortunate circumstances, but they were all loyal. Fierce. Determined. If there was any troop that could survive this stupid war, any troop that were meant for more than just cannon fodder, it was theirs. They had said it in the way they looked at each other. In their reassuring touches. Silent promises to come back alive.

Her mother's dagger at her belt still radiated heat from its reaction to the demon. To Natsu. Its steady hum of power was reassuring.

"Trust me." Lucy grinned at Gray as they made their way to safety, "I just know."


	9. The Gilded Cage

_**Summary:**_ ** _There's a whole world outside her garden walls but Lucy doubts she will ever see it, even despite the assurances of the charming orphan boy who whispers promises through a rusty iron gate._**

 **A/N: I've had this idea for a while so I wanted to give it a shot. Please let me know what you think!**

* * *

Lucy was tired.

The breeze was cold as it caressed the bare skin of her shoulders, catching wisps of her hair and lifting them to skim her cheeks. She tucked them idly behind her ear with a heavy hand. She knew if anyone found her-which eventually, they would- they'd berate her for not wrapping herself up tightly. She hadn't even worn shoes, yet alone a coat. She'd wandered into the garden in a daze in nothing but her nightdress, as though she were floating in a dream.

She could hear the birds up in the trees, the leaves stirring in the breeze. The afternoon sun remained hidden behind the grey clouds. She closed her eyes and listened, breathing deeply in time with the hush of the wind. If she focused just right she could forget about the mansion behind her, the busy scuffles of the staff inside, the pressing weight of her responsibilities, and the miles upon miles of luxurious food that she had no desire to eat.

It made her feel guilty, but it was all too much. The energy it took to interact with people she knew secretly despised her despite their charming smiles, the effort it required to make herself as presentable as her maids desired, the strength her arm needed to raise a heavy fork to her lips. She lacked it all. It seemed all she was good for was sleeping late into the day and not quite catching the things people said to her.

Sometimes she would wander aimlessly through the grand halls of her father's stately home and an old painting would catch her eye. Paintings of herself as a child, with a full and happy family. It would amaze her that there was a point in her life when she was so happy, so full of energy, so _alive._

And now she was just numb.

A breath caught in her throat, shocking her body into a violent cough. This far out in the gardens- right at the edge of their lands- no one could hear her. Even as she clutched at her sides she was grateful for it. The rush of people that always swarmed to her at the slightest tickle of her throat only made it harder to breathe.

Moments later the coughing subsided. Her lungs burned as she struggled for air, but the pain didn't bother her. It reminded her that she was still alive. The palm of her right hand felt damp, and she knew even before she pulled it away from her mouth that it would be stained with blood.

She leaned forward, elbows on her knees as she stared at a daffodil in the grass. No tears came as beads of blood trailed down her fingers from her palm and dripped onto the white of her nightgown. She hadn't even the energy to cry. She knew that if someone found her now, they'd pause for a moment and watch her sitting there on the old stone bench. Their eyes would fix on the bones of her shoulders that jutted out from under the thin straps of her nightdress. They'd notice the goose-bumps on her pale skin, and the blood that still stained her lips when she would eventually turn to them.

She hoped no one would ever find her.

This place was one of her few places of solace. The Heartfilia home was grand, but its lands were larger still. The walk from the house to her hidden corner took twenty minutes on her shaking legs, but she made it here almost every day. The old stone bench she always rested on was hidden in a small space surround on three fronts by tall bushes and trees, hiding the mansion from view.

The fourth wall of her little sanctum was a high stone wall covered in vines and ivy. The moss between the cracks in the stone was always damp, and the rusted iron gate that was masked slightly by the greenery always remained locked.

The gate, if it were ever opened, led onto the grounds of the neighbouring estate. The lands were owned by a wealthy man named Makarov, who used his riches kindly. His home, that she was told was even bigger than her own, had housed a much greater number than Lucy's small family's had for a very long time. It was no longer simply a manor for a wealthy man, but an orphanage.

Lucy smiled tiredly at the idea of the place. She'd never seen it- had never seen much outside the walls- but she could imagine it well. She could see the house itself painted in the distance from her bedroom window. Sometimes, when she was younger, she swore she caught snatches of children's laughter drifting to her over the wind. She'd had no friends of her own, and so she had longed to join them. Of course, father wouldn't have it.

Still drunk on the vibrancy of youth, she'd settled for exploring the gardens on her own. At times, she'd been missing for hours. The gardens had worked with her to hide her from the cruel and prying eyes of the house and all who visited it. Eventually, she'd stumbled upon the small sanctum she sat in now.

And it was through that rusted old gate that she'd made her first friend.

The beating of hooves in the mud pulled her from her thoughts. The sounds came from the other side of the wall, and Lucy felt her first burst of energy in days. She quickly wiped the blood from her lips before spitting on her hand and rubbing it clean with the tall strands of grass at her feet. If her maids could see her, they would have been disgusted.

Her lips quirked up at the thought.

The hoof beats stopped just as she straightened her spine. She heard the thud of footsteps in the dirt as whoever approached on the other side of the wall dismounted. As the steps drew closer she felt the familiar flutter in her heart. She did not have to see him to know who approached.

"An hour gone lunch time and you're still in your night clothes?" Natsu tutted as he stepped up to the gate, "You're so lazy Luce."

Lucy offered him a soft smile as she drank in the sight of him. He looped his arms through the gate, leaning against the metal casually. The colour of his shirt had faded from white to dull grey with age, but it only added charm to his dishevelled appearance. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing the tanned skin of his forearms and the thick cuff he always wore around one wrist. His shirt had been tucked haphazardly into his high wasted pants, of which the brown material hugged the shape of his legs right down to his knee-high riding boots. His ever present white scarf hung loosely from his neck. He looked more like a ruffian than a gentleman.

Her gaze finally found his face. His dark eyes were staring back at her, and that boyish lilt still tainted his smile. His wild pink hair stuck out in every direction. She wanted nothing more than to run her fingers through it. To look at him without bars between them as she did it.

But orphans didn't deign with heiresses. They weren't allowed to.

"What are you doing here Natsu?" She raised an eyebrow at him, feigning curiosity.

"Do I need a reason?" He laughed, pressing his face against the bars of the gate, "Can't a man come see his favourite Princess?"

Lucy rolled her eyes at his teasing. They had been friends for many years, speaking only through the forgotten gate. He knew her well, despite their differences. He knew her in a way no one else did. Her true self, that's what she called it. The Lucy that lived without the confining social rules of her home that thrived in the gardens. The Lucy that was more than her money and her name, a puppet for people to use as they saw fit. The Lucy that was still alive inside.

"I'm no Princess." She grinned as she stood.

Natsu licked his lips as his dark eyes trailed down her body.

"Oh, I know."

She often wondered why it was that Natsu stayed in these parts, and it was times like this that she thought she knew. They were the same age, which meant one thing for her and another for him. For Natsu, it meant he could do as he pleased. No one had ever adopted him, and now that he was an adult he had no reason to stay with Makarov any longer. She'd heard that the old man offered work to those of his children that never left him, but Lucy had the strongest desire for Natsu to leave this place. To discover the world outside his orphanage. But when he looked at her like that… something told her that he would never see the rest of the world unless she saw it to. He was postponing the freedom that turning eighteen a few months ago offered him. He was waiting for her.

For Lucy though, turning into an adult meant… well, she didn't want to think about it.

She paced towards the gate slowly, enjoying the way he watched her. She'd long ago lost count of how many times she'd cursed the gate, the wall, everything that confined her to the Heartfilia estate and kept her from him. She was sure Natsu had too. He'd tried to scale the wall once and almost died trying. There were spikes at the top, covered in this part by the ivy. One had pierced his side and she could do nothing but scream. Luckily, others from the orphanage that had been exploring the land had heard her and came to investigate. They'd gotten Natsu free and hauled him back to the orphanage. Lucy didn't see him for another three weeks. She feared he'd died and it had all been her fault.

When he eventually found her again, she'd banned him from every attempting to scale the wall a second time.

He ran his fingers up and down her arms as she stepped close enough to clutch at the bars. His touch made a pleasant shiver run down her spine. She wasn't quite sure when this had happened. When she'd begun to feel something more than companionship for him. When she'd let him see it. He'd told her once that he'd break down the wall if he had to; sneak into one of her father's parties and take her away. Anything so that she could see the world beyond her garden wall.

It must have been around then that she'd realised.

Natsu had never kissed her. He had never touched her without a glance to make sure it was okay first. He asked where others demanded. He never treated anything they had as though he were entitled to it. He gave her choices. Sometimes she thought it was all folly, a wild dream. She had never had a choice when it came to loving him. He was the only one in the world- both hers and the one outside it- that ever showed her nothing but kindness. Who else was there to love? But she knew deep down, that even if there were other choices, she would still choose him.

"There's blood on your dress." He said softly, fingers still tracing patterns up her arms.

"I must have scraped my knee." She lied.

"Can I see it?"

She thought of lifting the thin material of her nightdress. Of Natsu reaching through the bars and running his calloused fingers up her bare leg with attentive care. His thumb would brush across the intact skin of her knee, and he would look up at her with a curious glint in his eyes. Perhaps he'd even bring her leg closer to the bars so that he could press his lips to her knee and mutter 'all better', even though he knew she'd lied.

Lucy squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, taking in a deep breath before opening them again.

"No." She finally answered.

Natsu didn't know she was sick. He didn't know she used her last reserves of energy to smile at him and make him happy. She never wanted him to know. She would keep coming back until she could eventually persuade him to leave. To travel so he could tell her all about his new adventures. She knew that even if she succeeded, he would still come back. But by then, it would be too late.

He looked a little hurt at the denial of his request, but he hid it well. He stood up straight, his hands resting over hers where they clutched at the bars. He stood a head taller than her now. She remembered when they used to be the same height.

"You're not still angry about the key are you?" He frowned.

Lucy's heart ached. The key. The locked gate of course had a key. They'd realised this (a little belatedly) when they were around fifteen. Natsu had gone rushing back to the orphanage that day when he'd realised, but returned full of dismay. Makarov told him the key had been lost years ago. Apparently their old groundskeeper had left and taken it with him. Lucy on the other hand couldn't simply ask her father about the key, as Natsu had done with Makarov. She was too afraid that if he discovered all the gate did for her he'd have it blocked up. Instead she had searched her house for many years, looking for a key of undetermined size and shape. At least, she _had_ searched for it. Until she'd gotten sick.

A few weeks ago, she'd wandered to her sanctum to find Natsu waiting for her on the other side of the gate. He claimed to have been waiting since the day before, but she was sure he had been lying. He was practically giddy with excitement. He'd found the key. He'd waited for her so they could open the gate together. He'd fumbled excitedly as he fumbled with the lock, letting a whisper of 'I can't wait until this damn thing is out of the way and I can finally kiss you' slip past his lips. Lucy had politely pretended not to hear, but she hadn't been able to hide her grin.

Their joy had been short lived, however. The key wasn't quite right, and in Natsu's desperate refusal to accept defeat, he'd tried to force it to turn in the lock. The key had broken off from its handle, the end of it remaining wedged in the lock. Now, even if they found the right key, the gate would remain unable to be opened.

"No," She smiled sadly at him, "I'm not angry about the key. I'm not angry at all."

She didn't have the energy to be angry.

Natsu sighed. He reached through the bars again, his hands skimming up her arms before reaching to cup her face. Lucy leaned into his touch as she watched his jaw clench.

"It was all my fault," He scowled, "I just wanted to-"

He cut himself off with a groan of frustration. Lucy stepped closer to the gate, her chest pressed against the bars as she tugged gently as his scarf. He looked up at her. His eyes were sad, but they sparked to life again once she offered him a reassuring smile.

His thumbs swiped gently across her cheeks. Her heart fluttered at how gentle he always was with her. Not because he was afraid she would break, but because he cared. He stepped closer as he looked down at her. She lost herself in the dark of his eyes, not realising until the cold metal of the gate was millimetres away from her cheeks and the tips of their noses brushed that they were leaning in towards each other.

She forced herself to turn away.

"Natsu," Her voice sounded pained even to her own ears, he whispered her name desperately at the same time, "I don't want to kiss you for the first time with bars between us."

Natsu sighed deeply as he leaned his forehead against hers. Or rather, as much as he could through the gate.

"Would you be opposed to an explosion?" He asked with a feigned casual air, "I could always just blow this whole godforsaken wall down."

Lucy chuckled.

"I wouldn't object," She smiled, "But my father might."

Natsu visibly bristled at the mention of Jude Heartfilia.

"When I was younger, I used to wish your dad would get caught in a bad carriage accident."

"Natsu!"

"I know, I know. It's awful." He confessed, "But I just couldn't help but wonder… if something happened to him, maybe they'd send you to the orphanage."

"Even if you'd gotten your dreadful wish," She chided him softly, "They would never have sent me to you. They would have taken me to some distant relative most likely. Someone with even less patience for me than my father."

"I just- How can he think this is any sort of life for you?" Natsu wondered in disbelief, "You've never seen the mountains, the ocean-"

"Neither have you." She grinned a little.

"That's not the point Luce." Natsu shook his head, "I could see the whole world if I wanted, but none of it would matter if you weren't there to see it with me."

"Natsu…" Lucy was lost for words as her eyes teared up for the first time in months.

"There's more to the world than fancy gardens and ornate houses. More to _life_ than wealth and propriety and pompous assholes with more money than sense, or marriages to people who don't love you-"

"I'll die before they marry me off." Lucy ground out.

Natsu's eyes widened. She could see he thought she meant the words out of devotion to him, and not in their literal sense.

"It won't come to that," He whispered in the space between them, "I'll get you out before then. I promise."

Lucy pulled back a little.

"You've been saying that for years."

"And I _mean it_ Luce." He insisted as her reached for her, "Just wait for me okay?"

Lucy twined her fingers with his, squeezing them tightly before pressing her lips to his bruised knuckles.

"Oh Natsu," She whispered against his skin, "I've been waiting to run away with you my whole life."

She let go of his hand and stepped backwards. She could hear the house staff calling to her in the distance. She could already feel herself retreating inwards.

"Just wait a little longer Lucy," Natsu called out to her, hands clutching at the bars of the gate so tightly his fingers went white, "Soon. I promise."

She nodded at him as she turned away. She pulled up the front of her dress to make it easier to manoeuvre through the bushes. Her feet were dirty from her journey, and there was a thorn stuck in her right foot. She didn't feel the pain. She didn't feel much of anything aside from the echo of her hammering heart.

The closer she got to the confines of her house, the less alive she felt. As though she'd handed over her heart, still beating, through the gate.


	10. The Morning Before

_**Summary:**_ ** _One night can lead to the rest of your life, and Natsu wouldn't have it any other way._**

 ** _A/N: This is is for snogfairy's birthday, so make sure you wish her the best! Hope you guys like this too!_**

* * *

Sunlight filtered in through the open curtains as they stirred from the summer breeze. Natsu could hear the gardens outside waking. The humming of the birds and the patter of hurried feet on the gravel as the servants began their daily chores.

Natsu himself should have awoken well before dawn. And yet here he was, lazily blinking open his eyes and letting the cool breeze caress the skin of his chest that was left uncovered by the silken sheets. Silk sheets… that were not the same as the rough blankets in his own quarters. These sheets were not his own.

The events of last night hit him like a wave as he took in the sight of his armour scattered across the plush carpets. The dress that had hung from the shoulders of the Princess the night before, the same dress he had quietly admired from afar, lay among the pieces of his armour. The pink fabric of the bodice torn in two, and the skirts discarded in an ungraceful heap.

He turned to the figure laying in the bed beside him. Her back was exposed, her skin looked as pale and smooth as milk. It made him think of cream. His mouth watered the longer he stared. He knew how that skin tasted. How it seemed almost to glow when covered with a light sheen of sweat. He knew how her hair- now spread across her pillow like a golden puddle that gleamed in the sun- looked when it was tangled between his fingers. The way it matted to her temples, the way her mouth formed that perfect 'O' when he-

Natsu gulped.

 _He had slept with the Princess._

There was no mistaking it. He was here, in her chambers, in her bed beside her. His mind scrambled for explanations as to how it had happened, but he knew what had happened. Every detail was etched into his brain. The feel of her skin moving against his, the heat of her, the sound of her. The memory of her laugh lit a spark in his heart, but the fire that ignited his blood as she shifted in her sleep and the sheets slipped a little lower was a heat of a different kind.

It hadn't been a drunken mistake, and he most certainly hadn't taken advantage of her. He'd been stationed on an outdoor patrol of the castle grounds and had found her crying alone in the gardens. He was a soldier of the palace guard, and so it was his duty to protect her. To protect all of the royal family, just as his father had before him. He couldn't leave her out there alone, but he had been a guard for many years. Although his rank wasn't high he often saw the Princess on his watches. It was by his vigilance that he knew why she cried. She was lonely and unhappy. He should have simply escorted her back to the ball but… never once in his years protecting her had he ever heard her laugh. He'd wanted to change that.

Lucy was vigilant too. She'd noticed all the times he'd been stationed near her quarters or in the library or gardens where she spent a lot of her time. She'd even confessed to seeking him out, although she'd never quite had the courage to talk to him and had never gotten him alone. Each time he'd snickered at some sarcastic quip she'd dealt a nobleman it seemed he hadn't been so subtle about it. She'd noticed. He thought the amused glances she'd shot him in those moments had been his imagination. But apparently not.

Perhaps he wouldn't call it love, not quite yet. But the way they'd spoken to one another last night… the way they'd laughed and smiled and touched. Perhaps it was something close.

Perhaps it could be, if he was more than just a soldier.

But he wasn't.

Natsu leant closer to her until her face came into view. Her lips were parted slightly, her cheek rested on her hand. He reached to brush away her hair but hesitated at the last moment. He didn't dare touch her, didn't want to wake her from her sound sleep. He knew from his nights stationed outside her door that she often woke with nightmares. Her maids worked hard with her make up every morning to keep the dark circles beneath her eyes hidden from view.

Instead he pressed a light kiss to her shoulder before untangling himself from the sheets. He hated to leave her. He grit his teeth as his heart ached with it. What good would it do him to stay? What good would it do _her_?

"Just one kiss?" Her voice was soft and laced with sleep.

He turned to face her from his perch on the edge of the bed. She'd rolled onto her back and looked fondly up at him, the sheets crumped beneath her breasts. He felt heat rise to his cheeks as his eyes drifted over her. There were marks up the slope of her breasts, the side of her neck. A trail of them disappeared beneath the sheets. Her cheeks were as pink as his hair when his eyes trailed back to her face.

"Lucy…" He began. His voice was hoarse, thick with sleep or desire, he couldn't tell. He hadn't known what he was going to say, only that he wanted to say her name. Her name and not her title, so he could pretend hers was the same as his for a little while.

The title of no title. Of no one. Nothing.

"Is that your thinking face?" She asked as she reached out to trace her fingers down his spine, "Who knew it would be so silly."

It was difficult for him to fight the smile that her voice beckoned.

"You makin' fun of my face?" He smiled, moving to lie on his front next to her.

He'd worried when he'd approached her last night about his commoners tongue, but Lucy didn't seem to mind it. She didn't seem to have any problems at all with his tongue.

"Of course not," She giggled as she cupped his cheeks with both her hands. She traced her left thumb across his scar and he leant into the touch. "Your face is perfect."

Natsu scoffed, but there was no quelling the grin that pulled at his lips.

"Says the most beautiful girl in the kingdom."

Lucy's smile rivalled his own before she pulled him in for a kiss. Just like the night before he couldn't resist the enticement of her lips. The _pull_ of her, like she had a cord tied tight around his soul and was tugging at it until there was no more space between them.

He sunk into the kiss. Life was a barren desert and here was his water. Lucy kissed him deeply. Full and hungry as her fingers twined in his hair. Her nails scraped against his scalp and he sighed against her lips as she pulled back slightly for air.

"This is worth it." Natsu whispered before kissing her again.

"What's worth it?" Lucy grinned as he peppered kisses across her cheeks.

"Everything." He murmured against her skin, "Hours spent in heavy armour in the sun just to catch a glimpse of you. Endless days in the council rooms knowing you'd show up and shoot them down eventually. Whatever they're going to do to me for this-" Lucy hummed as his thumb brushed over her nipple and the marks on her breast he'd made during the night, "It's all worth it."

"Natsu," Lucy bumped her nose against his, "I promise you, the only one who's going to do anything to you is _me_. And if what I've read is true, you're gonna enjoy it."

He laughed, grateful for the easy way in which she distracted him from his sombre thoughts. He leaned over her, their chests pressed together as they grinned at each other.

"From what you've read?" He snickered, hands skimming down her sides, "Who knew the King's library stocked such scandalous books."

"I request them especially," She smirked as wrapped a leg around his own, "Maybe I could teach you a thing or two."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah," She pulled him closer, "I'm very well read."

Natsu chucked deep in his chest as she kissed him again. Her hands skimmed down his chest as her lips moved against his. She traced the panes of his muscles until she reached his hips. His breath shuddered as his mind fixed on the feeling of her fingers against his skin. Lucy looked up at him smugly as her hands brushed lower.

Natsu clasped her wrist and groaned.

"I can't," He sighed, resting his forehead against hers, "I'm already late for patrol."

"Stay." Lucy whispered, kissing him sweetly.

"I can't. _We_ can't. We'll get caught."

"Natsu-"

"And we can't get caught because you're you and I'm-"

" _You._ " Lucy cut him off, "You're you. Do you think every guard that hands me a tissue ends up here?"

"No! That's not what I'm-"

"I know what you're trying to say Natsu, and I don't care about that stuff. I.." Her eyes searched his face, "Want to be with you. And if you want to be with me too, then I'm all yours."

"Of _course_ I want to be with you Lucy." Natsu insisted, "But I'm just a soldier. I'm a nobody with no name, no money, no army or kingdom. I'm not worthy of you."

"Bullshit!" Lucy spat, startling him with her harsh language, "You're somebody. Your name is Natsu Dragneel, and I don't care about the rest. I'd rather be no one if it meant I could be someone to you."

Natsu gaped at her. Words failed him. Could she really feel so strongly after merely a few stolen glances and one breathless night? Of course she could. Didn't he?

"Besides," Lucy continued with a smile, "I don't think I could hide it. This."

"This?" Natsu grinned as he tapped a finger against a mark on her collarbone.

Lucy laughed, twinging her fingers with his and lifting them to her lips. She pressed kisses to each of his scared knuckles. His hands were built for fighting and yet she kissed them like they were something to be treasured.

"Why me?" Natsu asked in wonder, "You could have any one you want, but you picked me."

"I didn't pick you. It just… happened. And I'm so lucky that it did."

Natsu gazed down at her for a moment. She looked right back, her eyes full of fondness and… hope. He could see the worry there, deep down, that when he left she'd be alone again. But he'd never let her feel that way. Not if he could help it. He'd shower her with affection until all holes in her heart that had grown wider with each day of neglect and entrapment were filled with everything he had to offer her.

He didn't have much, but if he could make her smile every day, he'd give it his all.

He pressed a kiss to her cheek and leapt up from the bed. He darted about the room, collecting his scattered clothes but not his armour. His father had been a Kings Guard, as had his father before him. Natsu had hoped to work his way up the ranks but… he'd been lying to himself. Some days his uniform made him feel as trapped as the crown that kept Lucy here in the castle.

His gaze drifted to Lucy as she watched him in confusion as he quickly dressed. What of his son? Natsu didn't want any child of his to feel compelled to follow in his footsteps. He knew he would want them to seek the same happiness he hoped to have. Happiness he may have found in this castle, but that happiness could not thrive here. He could see it in her eyes.

Once he was fully dressed Natsu strode back over to the bed. Lucy was looking at him still with confusion, but there was an amused glint in her eyes. No doubt from his crumpled state of dress. She sat up as he leaned on the edge of the bed, pulling the sheets up to keep herself covered. He took her face in his hands and titled her head up to better take in her wide eyes and graceful features.

"Find something to wear, fast," He told her with a wild grin, "And nothing too tight and frilly. You're gonna need to breathe y'know."

"What?"

"We're leaving." He told her firmly, body thrumming with nerves, "Come nightfall we'll be gone. Out of the city for good."

"But the guards-"

"We'll go out the window. I pick you Lucy. I'm no one and I pick you anyway. You can change your mind if you want but I don't think I will. I want you to be happy Luce, and you're not happy here. So let's go."

Lucy smiled at him with tears in her eyes. She nodded once, twice, and again before she erupted in a fit of giggles. He laughed too. He laughed in excitement for all that awaited them.

"The vanity!" Lucy squeaked, "Take out anything you find! There's enough jewels in there to take us anywhere you want to go."

Natsu laughed again and did as instructed. The rustle of sheets behind him informed him that Lucy had risen in search of clothes. He snuck a peak over his shoulder just in time to see the sheets drop. He let his appreciation known with a low hum that made Lucy blush before she disappeared behind a screen.

He busied himself to distract his mind from what was beyond that screen, pulling open each draw of the vanity. Countless jewels lay before him. Enough to buy them a house in every city in Fiore if they wished. Earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings. He shoved as many of them as he could into his pockets.

The last drawer he tried contained one single item. A necklace laid delicately on a bed of soft velvet that tickled his fingers as he lifted it gently. He held it carefully in front of him, letting the intricate silver of the chain catch the light. His eyes drank in every detail of the intricate weaving of pearls before him. He didn't want to merely cram this into his pockets. It seemed too important, and he feared it would shatter.

"I'm afraid we've no time to try things on Natsu," Lucy's voice rang with laughter being him, "But I'm sure it'll look lovely on you."

"I'd like to see you in this." Natsu answered, still staring at the necklace, his voice low and rough, "In nothing but this."

He felt the heat of Lucy beside him and turned to find her face coated with a slight blush, her eyes fixed on the necklace. She prised it gently from his hands, running her fingers across the pearls as she looked at it fondly.

"It was my mothers." She told him, "She wore it on her wedding day."

"And are you to wear it on yours?"

Lucy breathed out a laugh before carefully depositing the necklace into the breast pocket of her tunic.

"I suppose that's why she left it to me," She cocked her head and smiled, "It's a shame no one's proposed just yet."

"Oh, don't worry." Natsu grinned, "I'm sure you'll find some sorry sap to fall for you on the way to wherever it is we're going."

A wide grin broke over her features. Natsu didn't give her time to laugh as he took her hand and led her towards the balcony. He threw open the doors and strode right up to the railings. The two of them looked over the gardens, the castle walls. And further than that, right on the horizon, the distant glow of the ocean.

They'd be on the run for a long time. A lot of it would be touch and go. They might not even make it out of the palace walls. If they were caught, there'd be consequences. And Natsu knew his own would be far more severe.

His gaze turned to Lucy. She was practically buzzing with excitement. Consequences be damned. Life was meant to be more than politics and fancy dresses and strict social rules. Life was meant to be an adventure. One where it was more fun together.

He held out his hand to Lucy.

"You ready?"

Her eyes blazed with determination.

"I was born ready." She nodded before another smile broke over her features and she slapped his outstretched hand, "Last one to the castle walls is a rotten egg!"

With that, she jumped over the balcony railing.

Natsu stared, mouth agape, as she landed in a carefully practiced crouch and rolled to take the impact of her knees. She stood and turned, beckoning for him to follow. He shook his head to snap himself out of it.

It seemed she'd always been ready to run, she'd just been waiting for someone to run with.

"Alright Lucy," Natsu grinned down at her as he prepared to jump, "Time for an adventure."


	11. Letavitsy

_**Summary: Letavitsy - Spirits in slavic mythology who fall from the sky at night like shooting stars to cause mischief. Sometimes, when their feet touch the ground, they leave trails of stars.**_

 ** _A/N: A belated birthday gift for not-just-any-fangirl, whom I adore._**

* * *

The cold hit him square in the face the moment he stepped out of the cabin, slamming the door behind him. He hadn't bothered with a coat; hadn't really had time to grab one during his dramatic departure, but he didn't care. Natsu would _literally_ rather freeze to death than try to make awkward conversation with Gajeel and Levy for another minute as they all tried to ignore the rather loud and very _specific_ noises coming from Gray and Juvia's room.

So he stomped out into the thick snow, heading towards the trees. If this were a horror movie, something would be watching him from the woods. Waiting for him to stumble and sprain his ankle, letting out one lonely cry for help before it pounced and he was torn to shreds.

Still better than listening to Gray and Juvia doing… _It._

The night sky was clear above him, letting the moonlight his way and providing a perfect view of the stars. This far up in the mountains, there was no light pollution, and he could make out all the constellations he'd learned as a child on camping trips with his father.

There was Aquarius, and Cassiopeia, even Orion painted shining against the black of space. He paused a moment to trace their outlines at the edge of the woods, imaging he was a painter who decorated the heavens.

As he finished tracing Orion, a breeze blew through the woods. Pushing against his back as though encouraging him to go into the woods. The only sound being the rustle of the leaves overhead, and the occasional hoot of an owl.

He delved into the trees. There was nothing out here that could really hurt him. Apart from bears. And maybe wolves. Hopefully they were all hibernating. Did wolves hibernate?

He howled into the night to test his theory.

No response. He was all alone.

He wandered through the snow and the pine needles with no clear direction in mind. He promised himself he wouldn't go far. If he looked behind him, he could still see the lights of the cabin through the trees. Those horrific noises now far enough away they were merely a distant, traumatic memory.

As he walked, he caught glimpses of the stars through the trees, the constellations appearing to him only in fragments. Sometimes he could guess the bigger picture, but most times they were just stars.

Until one began to twinkle.

Well, they all twinkled, but this one was brighter than the others. Its light dancing erratically until it detached itself from the darkness and raced across the sky. Natsu watched in fascination. He'd never seen a shooting star before, yet alone one _hurtling towards earth._

He took a step back and stumbled. Maybe he would die out here after all.

As the star grew closer he was forced to shield his eyes, but he could tell by the shadow it cast in the snow that it was heading somewhere off to his left. He expected an earth shattering sound and a harsh gust of wind as it collided with the earth. He waited and waited for it.

Instead there was only a distant 'pop'. Like a firework going off a few streets over.

Natsu stood from where he had fallen in the snow and looked around him. To his left, where the star had fallen, a soft glow was emanating from beyond the trees. Tinged with blue and quickly fading.

He ran in the direction of the glow without thinking. The possibilities were endless. An asteroid? Aliens? Space junk? Any one of those things was bound to fetch enough to pay off all his college debts. He just needed to grab a piece of whatever it was and get out of there. He wondered if the others back at the cabin had noticed anything strange. Heard the sound or seen the light shooting across the sky.

He hoped not.

By the time his legs had begun to ache from running, the glow had faded. He slowed to a light jog, then eventually stopped. Surely something than had fallen from space would have left a massive crater that he would have stumbled upon by now? There wasn't even any smoke from burnt trees or a trail through the earth.

Not ready to give up just yet, he continued on a few more paces, only to be rewarded by the smallest crater he had even seen (not that he had seen many).

It was small enough that someone could have dug it, but the shape itself was unmistakable, even with the absence of a fiery aftermath. In fact, the only indication that anything at all had fallen here was the strange glow the shone dully from inside the small hole.

That, and the glowing footsteps that led a trail away from it.

Natsu gulped.

 _Definitely aliens._

He glanced around trying to spot it, but the clearing was empty. He jogged over to the footsteps for a closer look. The marks they left were human-foot shaped, and a small human foot at that. It seemed that wherever the creature stood caused the dirt to glitter and shine, the glow made brighter by the surrounding snow. It looked almost like stardust.

Natsu took his phone out from his jeans pocket. He opened up his camera to take a photo of the strange footprints and felt his brows furrow in confusion.

Through the camera lense, the ground just looked like regular dirt.

 _I'm concussed,_ Natsu thought, _I hit my head on a rock when I fell over. I am now crazy._

He was just about to text Gajeel to come get him when a laugh rang through the trees.

Or, more specifically, a _giggle._

He straightened, turning in each direction and trying to find the source of the sound. Was that his concussion, or was something glowing just behind the first line of trees? Glowing and _moving_?

The strange, melodic laugh sounded again as something bright dashed through the trees. Natsu turned abruptly, trying to follow it. He spotted more glowing footsteps just behind the treeline heading off into the woods and decided to follow him. The laugh sounded again and he knew it was on its trail.

As he ran he caught glimpses of it through the trees, enough to determine that the it was in fact a _she._ She- whatever she was- had golden hair that flowed after her as though she were underwater, and skirts that shimmered like moonlight. She was also running barefoot.

Eventually he caught up, but only because the creature had paused outside a small, crumbling shed that was emitting a strange humming noise from inside.

Catching glimpses of her were startling, but seeing the full picture almost sent him to his knees.

She had pale, glowing skin. _Literally_ glowing. A soft white light shining out from inside of her. Her hair was long and moved like liquid gold. Her strange blue skirts connected to a top that exposed her stomach, and tied around her neck. All the jewels she wore caught the light and glittered like stars.

She looked more like a goddess than an alien.

Natsu was so mesmerised he didn't realise he was drooling until the creature laughed again.

He swiped the incriminating saliva from his chin just as she turned to the shed behind her, its doors falling off its hinges as an unnatural gust of wind made way for her. She skipped into the decrepit building, illuminating its interior as she moved forward. She turned around with a grin spreading wide over her delicate features just as he realised that the humming object inside was the cabins generator.

She reached out a hand. Natsu realised her intentions a second too late.

"No-!"

The moment she touched the humming metal surface, the generator shuddered and sparked. Black smoke erupted from the vents and the cables that led to the cabin seemed to tear themselves apart. Natsu swore he heard his friends yelling their outrage in the distance, but most of his attention was focused on the beautiful creatures melodic laughter.

The sound dissipated his anger, even though he knew he was well within his rights to be annoyed. Any sort of negative emotions seemed to perish in her wake.

The creature caught his eyes then, a smirk still playing on her lips.

"Oops."

Her voice seemed to echo in his head as she placed her fingers over her lips coyly. He couldn't help but smile in answer to her giggle.

"What are you?" He asked, sounding slightly breathless even to himself.

In a flash of light she was right there in front of him, her nose inches from his. The movement was so fast he didn't even have time to flinch backwards.

"I am _letavitsy._ "

This close, she was truly dazzling. He was struggling to comprehend the immaculate curve of her features, never mind the strange word she'd just used. It sounded odd, like a language he'd never heard before. He didn't dare to even attempt to pronounce it,

"Yeeeaaaah, I'm just gonna call you Lucy."

The newly dubbed Lucy frowned slightly.

"I am letavitsy." She repeated.

Natsu wondered if this encounter was going to be a 'I am Groot' situation in which he was apparently Rocket Raccoon.

"Yes, you said that. But I can't really pronounce Leta-vic… leta-vish-"

"Letavitsy!" Her voice rose to almost a shout, but it was still pleasant. She stepped back and raised her arms with dramatic flair, "We are spirits made from starlight, who make our homes in the night sky. I am letavitsy."

Her voice seemed accented due to the strange rhythm in which she spoke, as though she wasn't really used to communicating this way and so had rehearsed some strange introduction. Natsu was unsure whether or not he should applaud, given that she remained frozen in her dramatic pose and was looking at him expectantly.

"Well that's nice." He finally managed, "But y'know, Lucy means light too, and it's easier to say so…"

Her arms began to descend slowly.

"What kind of light does a Lucy have?"

"Uh," Natsu stammered, "Heavenly?"

The starlight spirit took a moment to ponder before nodding very seriously.

"Yes." She decided, "I am Lucy."

"Alright then Lucy." He smiled at her, "What brings you to earth?"

Lucy unleashed a smile that was almost blinding. The light glow she emanated seeming to grow brighter when she did it, so much so Natsu had to turn away for a moment. He was smiling when he met her eyes again.

"Adventure!"

Although he was unsure where exactly cutting off the electricity to a cabin in the mountains filed into adventure, he had to admire her enthusiasm.

She turned away and skipped off back into the trees, leaving a trail of stardust in her wake. Natsu followed, too enthralled to really care about his cabin-mates that would currently be stumbling around in the dark.

He followed her through the maze of the forest, following her trail of stardust the few times he lost sight of her. He was sure she was walking _through_ trees as well as around them. Gods knew what a being like that was capable of. The thought raced through his head, but the realisation that she could possibly be dangerous was silenced by another peal of laughter. Surely something that sounded so sweet couldn't hurt a fly?

Lucy slowed as she reached another edge of the forest- a small cliff that overlooked the small town in the distance. She looked back at Natsu, beckoning him to stand at her side. He obliged to find her staring down at the town with a wild gleam in her eye.

His thoughts flicked back to the destroyed generator, and for the first time since finding her he let himself feel unnerved.

"Where do you come from Lucy?" He asked in an effort to distract her while he thought of a way to keep the town's power supply intact.

"Up there." She pointed to the sky above- still painted with glowing stars- but her eyes remained on the town.

"And what's it like? Up there?"

He studied her perfect face as her brows furrowed, the action not deducing from her beauty in the slightest bit. He thought absently that if her face were ever on a billboard she'd cause hundreds of traffic accidents a day.

"It is beautiful but… there is nothing to _do._ The destinies of every mortal is written in the heavens, but I have yet to find where my own has been decided."

"And you think it's down here?"

At that, she smiled.

"I would like to think that my destiny is where I make it," She turned to him, her eyes bright with mischief, "But for now, here will do."

Natsu smirked.

"Well, I'm glad you've found a suitable playground. Perhaps we should play a game?"

Lucy turned to face him fully, giving him her full attention. He was taller than her by a few inches, but under the weight of her otherworldly gaze, he felt small. The slightly amused smile on her face was cunning. It sent a chill down his spine as well as sending heat to his face.

"And who are you, to play a game with me?"

Natsu blanched, realising he'd never actually introduced himself.

"My name is Natsu. Natsu Dragneel."

Her eyes widened. He could have sworn they changed from brown to green for just a moment.

"Natsu Dragneel," She purred, "Yes. I have read about you."

"You have?"

Lucy nodded.

"Your name repeats itself in history."

Natsu frowned.

"Is that… good?"

"It makes you worthy of a game." Her smile was devilish, "What would you like to play?"

She stepped close to him, her head titled back to meet his eyes. Natsu gulped. Just what had he gotten himself into?

"How about hide and seek?" He blurted.

Lucy scowled.

"In the trees at night? You are aware, Natsu Dragneel, that I glow in the dark. It is my purpose."

"I suppose that does give me an unfair advantage. Why don't you pick something?"

Lucy chuckled.

"The games we play are not for mortals."

Natsu repressed a shudder, deciding to turn away from her for a moment to collect his thoughts. Part of his mind was yelling monopoly but he doubted that would be thrilling enough for a girl from space.

"We used to play this game in school, like a get-to-know-you kind of thing," he pondered, "You say three things about yourself but only one of them is true, and you have to guess which one."

Lucy nodded in understanding.

"That could work. I have not yet read about this version of you, so I hold no advantage."

Natsu tried very hard to ignore the 'this version of you' comment, but he couldn't help but wonder. He'd never really believed in an afterlife or reincarnation or anything like that, but what if he had lived before, and she had read about it in the stars? What would she be able to tell him?

"What do I get if I win?"

Lucys voice pulled him from his thoughts.

"I didn't know we'd be playing for prizes."

"Why else would we play?" She smirked.

Natsu pondered the risk. She could ask anything of him, and he'd probably give it. Even if he wouldn't she could likely take it. Her glow had never stopped or faded, and standing this close, the hairs on his arms rose from the tingle in the air of raw power.

But he could also ask anything of her. He could ask about these other versions of him or about her world and what she was. He could ask about his life, if all destinies were written in the stars. Perhaps he could even ask to see her world…

"Alright. What do you want, if you win?"

"I think I shall wait until I have won to decide." She smirked.

Natsu smirked right back.

"Cocky. You can go first."

Lucy nodded in acceptance, that smirk still playing on her lips. Her brows furrowed in thought as she paced, thinking of her lies and her truth. After a few moments her eyes lit up and her attention found him once again.

"Number one," She began, "I am over three thousand years old. Number two, I was once human. Number three… my favourite story in all of history, is of the great general Natsu Dragneel, and his notorious dragon riders."

Admittedly he was only half listening, distracted by the sway of her hips as she paced. But that last part had most definitely caught his attention.

"Dragon riders?" He breathed.

Lucy smiled at him, her soft glow blazing for a moment at the action. She tipped her head slightly.

"You are correct." She admitted, mistaking his surprise for his answer. "Your turn."

Natsu shook his head, pulling himself out of his surprise. If he won, he could always ask her to explain.

"Number one, my favourite colour is pink." This made her laugh, "Number two, when I was younger my dream job was to be a pilot. Number three, I own a blue cat."

Lucy laughed again, causing Natsu to smile at the sound. He watched her carefully as she considered her answer.

"I think number two is your truth." She grinned smugly, "What mortal does not dream of flying?"

Natsu didn't bother to hide his smirk.

"Me, actually. Planes make me sick, so you're wrong."

Her smile dropped so fast Natsu let out a bark of laughter. Lucy huffed out a breath of displeasure as he continued to laugh, but by the time he'd composed himself she'd regained her own almost regal grace.

"Fair is fair, Natsu Dragneel. I admit defeat. Though I am curious, what was your truth?"

"Number three. Happy's been blue since I found him, though I don't know how or why."

"I was not aware such strange beasts still dwelt in mortal lands."

Natsu snorted.

"He's just a cat."

Lucy smiled softly.

"A companion is never _just_ anything."

Natsu merely nodded in response, too enraptured to form words. He wondered if she knew how enchanting she looked, if everyone from the heavens were as beautiful as her. Her eyes when she looked at him seemed to be filled to the brim with soul. The thought danced through him, though he didn't fully understand what it meant, it just seemed right.

"What would you ask for your prize, Natsu?"

"I would ask…"

All the possibilities raced through his head. She was a trove of knowledge and power. But in that moment when she looked up at him expectantly, the moonlight making her skin gleam like pearl, he only wanted one thing.

"I would ask for a kiss."

Lucy cocked her head.

She didn't say anything as her eyes fluttered closed in invitation.

Natsu gathered his courage and leaned in.

His skin tingled where his hand cupped her cheek to tilt her mouth towards his. He stepped closer, everywhere they touched his skin sang, and when their lips met-

The kiss was the whole world. It was his earth and her heavens and everything inbetween. Just the brush of his lips on hers overwhelmed him with feeling and still he dived further in. He pulled her closer, kissed her harder, and she kissed him back just as fiercely.

Even with his eyes closed, he could tell her light grew brighter with each touch, each kiss. They broke apart only once in their haze, long enough for her to breathe his name until he was on her again.

He kissed her until the world went white with starlight.


	12. The Healing Touch

There weren't many options in life for an orphan. Sure, there was crime and other disreputable occupations, but Lucy wanted a quiet life. What meagre inheritance she'd received after paying off her late fathers debts had been enough for a few months' rent of a one bedroom apartment, but food didn't just magically place itself on her wobbly kitchen table. So, she set out to find a job. And quickly discovered that the most unappealing ones paid the most.

Thus is the short summary of how Lucy Heartfilia, once the heir to the most wealthy family in the city, descended from manor houses to a church basement. Cleaning corpses.

It was quiet work, just as she'd wanted. Deathly quiet. The only people she interacted with daily, was the priest, the man who brought in her charges, and dead people. The former exchanged only the most basic of pleasantries, but the latter were quite good listeners.

As this was the church of Lethe, goddess of forgotten souls, the people that found their way onto Lucy's sterile workbench were most often orphans, beggars, and the elderly who had no remaining relatives of friends. Lucy's job was to clean away the evidence of death, and dress them in the white garments of the deceased before they were taken away and buried in the coffin. The dead that found their way to the church of Lethe revived no ceremonious farewells, nor even a coffin. They received one gold coin to take with them into the next world- which was sometimes more riches than Lucy thought they'd ever during their lifetime- and the shortest of funeral rites before being sealed into the dirt.

Quiet work, but not the most fulfilling if she dwelt on it too much.

She often wondered if she would end up here, when her time came. A different lonely orphan girl cleaning her body.

She shook the thought from her head as she passed through the church gates. No. Today was no day for such a bleak mood. The sun was shining and the birds chirped in the churches shrivelled trees. It was a beautiful today! _What a shame someone died before they could see it_ , she thought, and instantly chided herself.

Her basement workroom was pleasantly cool compared to the heat outside. Usually the stones chill made her shiver, but today Lucy hung up her shawl and rolled up her sleeves, ready to work. Today's poor soul already laid out on the work bench.

She pulled back the sheet that covered the body. Her brain instantly began to swell with possibilities.

You see, Lucy had always had a wild imagination, and what else was a penniless girl with no relatives and no friends meant to do than invent wild adventures that had filled the lives of the now deceased.

She scanned the body for cause of death. A deep stab wound to the side. Much of the man's torso was covered in dry blood.

"You were a pirate," She said to the corpse, noticing the windswept hair. The pink windswept hair, "A very notorious one."

She pulled away the rest of the sheet, taking in the rest of his body to develop her story. He was young- too young, she thought with a pang of sadness- body well-muscled with golden skin that suggest hours spent in the son. Other than his cause of death, the only thing that marked his body was a scar across his cheek, and the tattoo of…

She leaned closer. A red lizard?

"A salamander." She decided aloud.

The tail of which disappeared beneath his breaches. Lucy rolled her eyes.

"Yes, definitely a pirate."

Lucy prepared a bowl of water and a damp cloths, deciding to scrub the blood away first.

"You fell in love with the sea at a young age," She mused as she set about her task, "You were always so desperate to visit the beach of even the port, but your mother wouldn't hear of it, so you ran away. Stowed away on a ship before the captain discovered you."

As she washed the blood away from the fatal wound Lucy discovered more details. The weapon- most likely a sword given the wounds width- had impaled him upwards, sliding its way underneath his ribs and perhaps piercing his lungs and his heart. Not an easy death.

"The captain and his crew nicknamed you the salamander, because you slipped out of their grasp every time they tried to grab you, running even though there was nowhere to go. Eventually you tired, and they took pity on you. Fed you and clothed you. The captain, an elderly man with no children of his own, swore he'd throw you overboard at the next port, but in the meantime put you to work swabbing the decks and catching the bilge rats."

She rang out the blood-soaked cloth, the wound now clean. She'd stitch it closed for good measure, then set about cleaning the dirt of his face, arms, and feet.

"Over time the crew grew fond of you," She continued as she retrieved a needle and thread, "They taught you knots and poker- which you quickly excelled at. You challenged the captain to a game, the prize a place on his ship. You won- thanks to the cards up your sleeve- and began your new life at sea."

Lucy thought what a life like that would be like as she bit her tongue in concentration. Adventure. Every day a new story, but one you lived instead of invented for others. Perhaps she should run away too.

With the wound all stitched up she pulled away, her back aching from hunching over the body. She looked again to the man's face. Even in death it seemed to be smirking.

"You docked in this city at the beginning of the month for supplies and repairs to the ship. You met a girl who reminded you of the sea, and you loved her. She was betrothed to another but had eyes only for you. You planned to run away, but her father found out. They caught you and you fought them, urging her to run. You died fighting for her to be free."

Lucy turned away from the body and sighed. All her stories seemed to end tragically. And her dead mostly died for love. It was sad, but in such a cruel world she hoped her stories come close to the truth. That was there was still hope.

She washed out the bloody cloth and fetched a clean bowl of water, ready to wash the dirt away. She took her time. The ripples in the water distracting her from her thoughts. Eventually she returned to the body and set the bowl on the floor. As she straightened, the corpses finger twitched.

Lucy froze. She stared. The fingers did not move again.

She shook her head and straightened. No need to panic. Bodies still stirred after death. Something to do with the muscles decaying, if she remembered her brief science studies correctly. Though a twitch of the limbs was slightly more unsettling than the body releasing gas- which to her shame still made her giggle.

After a moment of glaring suspiciously at the dead mans face, she resumed her work. She dabbed the wet cloth onto his scarred cheek.

And the body bolted upright.

Lucy screamed. She stumbled backwards into the sink, heart hammering as the man on the workbench sucked in breath after breath, his eyes open and his expression very much alive.

She watched, trembling, as the man shook his head. It was as though he'd just woken up from a deep sleep. After a few tense seconds his breathing slowed and his posture relaxed. He stretched his arms, his joints popping. Then he leaned back, seemingly relaxed, and laughed to himself.

"Wow," He muttered, his voice slightly hoarse, "I can't believe he actually did it."

Lucy couldn't move. Couldn't even think. This man had just come back from the dead and he was _laughing_?

"This isn't real," She whispered, "You were dead. You were defiantly dead."

The man turned to her.

"Oh, hi. Forgot you were there for a second."

"I'm dreaming. I'm definitely dreaming."

The man shifted onto his side, the massive gash in his torso apparently causing him no pain. He leaned his head against his hand and stared at her, his smirk much more vibrant when he was alive.

"If you are then you have very good taste, to dream me up." He winked.

Lucy recoiled.

"You know that was a nice story. Made me wish I was a pirate., even though I've never been a fan of boats." He mused, "The last part was a bit mushy though. You must read too many of those romance books. Also it's a bit insulting to think I would lose in a sword fight against some rich guy."

"I never said he was rich."

"True. But who else arranges marriages other than rich people with nothing better to do with their time."

He had a point. The dead man had a point.

 _I've finally gone mad_ , Lucy thought.

"Anyway I don't think I've ever had such a valiant death." He continued to muse, "Most of them have been accidents."

"You mean you… you've died _before_?"

"Oh yeah, like twenty, maybe thirty times? I don't know. I lost count."

He sat up again and swung his legs over the side of the table. He glanced idly down at his wound and then made a show of inspecting the rest of his body.

"How kind of you to leave my pants on. Most people don't do that."

Lucy frowned.

"Why should I take an interest in what's in a dead man's trousers?"

This made him laugh.

"Believe me that's definitely in the interests of most people who meet me." He winked again as he stood.

Lucy couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"You are definitely vulgar enough to be a pirate should your thirtieth attempt at live inspire a change of profession."

Her heart was finally calming down. The animated way he spoke seemed to be distracting her from the fact that he had been dead not five minutes ago.

"Well, I may not have died for love or been a pirate but you got the nickname part right. I suppose the tattoo is a giveaway though. My friends just call me Natsu though."

He held out his hand. In greeting or to help her up from where she was till slumped against the shelves she didn't know. She took it anyway.

"I'm Lucy."

"It was a pleasure to be stitched up and bathed by you, Lucy."

She blushed despite herself. It was her job and she'd done it a hundred times before. But now the corpse was _alive_ and the way he said it sounded… dirty.

She let go of his hand. They stood in an awkward silence. She noticed Natsu fidgeted a lot. Probably a side effect of being alive.

"Well, I'll be going then."

Natsu made towards the door.

"Wait!" Lucy ran in front of him to block his way, "What am I meant to tell the priest? 'Sorry there's to be one less funeral today, the body just got up and walked away'?"

"If that's what you like." He shrugged.

"I can't say that! They'll send me to the mad house!"

"I hear it's quite nice there actually."

Her face heated.

"You are insufferable! No wonder somebody stabbed you!"

"Harsh." He countered, though he didn't seem offended. He moved to step around her.

Lucy moved to stop him, standing firm under his annoyed glare. She couldn't believe a face that had been so slack and almost completely void of expression a few moments ago was now so animate. He seemed the sort of person whose emotions were always on display. And right now, his primary emotion seemed to be irritation.

"Look, if you just walk out of here I could lose my job," she pleaded, "I'm the most disposable so of course they'll blame it on me. There might as well be a line of girls out the door who could replace me. Who want a quiet life instead of- of…"

She turned away, not wanting to say it.

"Instead of a life of adventure and sword-fights and parties and treasure?"

Lucy blinked.

"That's not quite what I was going to say…"

Natsu waved a dismissive hand, his brows furrowing in thought before his green eyes lit up with amusement. Clearly at a joke only he understood.

"Alright, so I can't just walk out of here," He smirked, "But what if I hobbled?"

* * *

This was _definitely_ not how she had pictured her day going. She could scarcely even believe she'd agreed to it. The poor corpse she'd maimed and stolen from had certainly gotten the shorter end of the stick, but at the moment she wasn't faring much better.

Natsu leant heavily into her side as they ascended the stairs, a guttural moan making its way past his lips.

"Oh gods, oh _gods_. Oh, sweet Acheron, spare me your torment!"

Lucy winced at the wailing in her ear, pinching Natsu in his 'wounded' side.

"There's no need to do that when there's no one around." She hissed.

She noticed him bite his lip in amusement as they finally reached the top of the stairs. She shouldered her way through the heavy wooden doors that lead into the nave of the church, the room silent save for the whispers of a handful of worshippers and the trickle of the pale blue water that made its way through the church in tiny rivers surrounded by stone.

The silence was apparently an invitation Natsu could not refuse.

"AaaaaAAAAAHHHHH."

The few worshippers each looked up as Natsu clutched his blood-stained side and sagged against Lucy, who struggled to keep them both upright with the extra weight. She ducked her head and pulled Natsu along, trying in vain to ignore his theatrics.

"What vile a creature would slaughter a man in love!" Natsu yelled, "I only hope my sweet, sweet lady was spared the sight of my demise!"

Lucy rolled her eyes as she dragged him down the aisle, avoiding the stream of water that ran down its centre. Though his wailing was very irritating and he was being mostly uncooperative in her efforts to get him out of the church, her heart did a little lurch when she recognised the details of her story.

Natsu continued to lament, begging the god's forgiveness, and howling in pain as she dragged him towards the exit. It was a shame they weren't in a church of Cocytus; there, his theatrics would have warranted an applause for his supposed candour.

By this point, the worshippers had stood and was offering their assistance- which seemed to fuel Natsu's desire for attention as his wailing became more incomprehensible. Lucy was unsurprised when the priest emerged from his chambers at the ruckus.

"Miss Heartfilia!" The elderly man called as he ran towards them. Lucy picked up the pace of their hobbling, "What is the meaning of this?"

"Perhaps you can tell me, Sir," Lucy grunted in response, "This man was upon my table, ready to be prepared for burial, and yet he is -quite clearly- not dead."

"Styx has shown me mercy and kept me alive for my revenge!" Natsu yelled at the priest, before very conveniently rolling his eyes back into his head and sagging in a mock faint, leaving the priest as her problem.

"I don't understand-"

"I am taking this man to a healer!" Lucy interrupted, "Please ensure that from now on, all my charges are beyond a doubt, _dead_."

It would certainly make her life easier that way.

She pushed through the church doors, hoisting Natsu's weight as she shuffled the two of them down the steps. The priest and the worshippers watched them go, mouths agape, until the doors closed behind them with a soft his.

Out the corner of her vision, she noticed Natsu's eyes flutter open dramatically. The motion reminded her of just how long and dark his eyelashes were. Something a lot of girls would kill for.

The moment his green eyes spotted that there was no one in the churchyard, he straightened, relieving Lucy of his weight.

"Well, that was fun."

Natsu smiled as he said it, stretching his arms above his head and causing his too-large stolen shirt to sli[ and reveal his defined collarbones. Lucy scowled.

"The theatrics were _unnecessary_."

"And yet, you adored them."

"Did not."

"Did too."

"Which part of dragging you through a church could I have possibly enjoyed?"

Natsu quirked his eyebrows.

"The part where you have an excuse to touch me again."

Lucy slapped him.

Natsu yelped behind her as she stormed off. She couldn't go back into the church yet. She'd have to give it an hour and then come back with some equally dramatic story of the un-dead man's fate. Brilliant.

She hoped they didn't dock her wages for this.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Natsu jogged up behind her, "Don't you wanna know how I died?"

"You annoyed someone to such an extent that they stabbed you for a moment of peace."

"Pffft, no," He scoffed, but his eyes darted away from her, "Maybe."

Lucy rolled her eyes and kept walking. Sure, she had a lot of questions for him. She cared less about how he died and more about how he came back. He'd seemed to know that he would, and said that it had happened many times before. Could he die permanently at all? Could he heal any injury? For example, if she were to, figuratively, cut out his tongue, would it grow back?

She asked him as much.

"I don't think so," He pondered with a hand on his chin as they walked, "I cut off Gajeel's finger once and it still hasn't grown back so…"

Lucy stopped. She turned to him slowly.

"There are other people who just… come back from the dead?"

Natsu nodded as it if were the most obvious thing in the world.

She really needed to sit down.

They'd walked far enough away from the church that they were now on the outskirts of the city proper. The churches of Lethe were never housed in populated areas. They existed on the fringes of society, where they could apply be forgotten about.

This area of the city was quiet, though not nearly as quiet as the church. She hoped it wouldn't tempt Natsu into theatrics again. She needed a moment to think and then some answers, not a dramatic soliloquy about a lost love he didn't actually have.

After a few moments wondering Lucy found a small square with a few vacant benches and slumped into the nearest one, Natsu following suit in a much more energetic fashion.

"There's a few of us actually," Natsu continued, seeming to hate too long of a silence, "Though the bastard that killed me this time lacks the talent."

"Did he know when he killed you that you would come back?"

"Oh yeah. He _should_ have taken my body back home though, like you're meant to. Prevents being buried alive or waking up on the bench and giving some poor old guy a heart attack. Not that you're old or anything."

"He doesn't seem like a very good friend if he would actually kill you." Lucy noted, ignoring the age comment.

Natsu shrugged it off before leaning in closer with a smirk.

"He's just jealous that if I killed him, it'd be for good."

Lucy leaned away. She was pretty sure they if she was stabbed, she'd still be terrified even if she knew she would come back.

"What if was for good? For you I mean."

"Well then he'd have to live with the guilt of robbing the world of this gift for the rest of his life." He grinned, gesturing proudly to himself, "But he didn't have to worry because I've still got-"

Lucy scowled again as she watched Natsu kick off his left shoe and lift his foot as close to his face as he could possibly get it. She watched in confusion as his lips moved as if counting before he turned his attention back to her.

"-thirty-eight! Thirty-eight lives left!"

To prove his point, he shifted on the bench and shoved his foot into her face. Lucy recoiled, eyes watering slightly from the smell. Still grimacing from the dirt covering his toes, she noticed that on the sole of his foot were rows of black tally marks. Thirty-eight tally marks, to be exact.

"How many did you start with?" She asked, swatting his foot away.

"Nighty-nine."

Lucy blanched.

"Nighty-nine?! You've died sixty-one times in-in… how old are you?"

"Twenty-one."

"Sixty-one times in just over twenty years?! That's like… like…" Her maths failed her, "A LOT of times to die. What on earth do you do for a living, to warrant so much death?"

"Like I said, it's mostly accidents. One time, I fell off the side of a ship and smashed my head on the rocks, so I died. Then it took the crew so long to get me out the water that I revived, and then just drowned and died again."

Lucy blinked. She could not believe how calm he was about this. About _dying_. After the death of her mother, it had been all she thought about for months- the fear if it often sending her gasping to the floor if she dwelt on it too much. Even now, she still woke from nightmares in which she died in a variety of ways over and over again.

"If I were you I think I would be deeply traumatised by now."

Natsu winked at her again.

"Who says I'm not?"

Lucy shook her head, exasperated.

"You are the weirdest person I've ever met."

"Well, likewise," Natsu pouted, "Who the hell enjoys cleaning dead bodies?"

"I don't _enjoy_ it."

"Why'd you do it then?"

"What else am I meant to do? This city doesn't really offer much well-paying reputable work."

"Then get some _dis_ reputable work."

She considered slapping him again.

"I don't mean like that," He insisted, noticing her irritated look, "I mean you could do what I do."

"Which is…?"

"Cheat dumb rich people out of all their money."

Lucy's heart went cold. She started at him for a very long moment.

She remembered the long two months after her father's death. When people she'd never seen before came to collect debts she'd never even heard of, but had no choice to pay when they threatened her, or came with legal papers vouching their favour. She'd held on to that house for as long as possible. Watching as every day it became more and more empty, selling off her family belongings to pay off her late father's death.

She remembered one of the last days, one of the last people that came. She was so tired by then, and she'd accepted she was losing everything. She barley looked at the man who came to collect some of the houses classical paintings.

But she'd looked long enough to notice the tall man's missing finger, and the tally marks on the palm of his hand when he'd handed her a sheet of paper with her fathers scrawled signature.

Suprisingly, Natsu stayed silent as she stared at him. At Natsu who was born with ninety-nine lives. Natsu the con-man. Natsu with the undying con-artist friend.

A cold feeling settled in her stomach. A certainty that she had been robbed.

She flinched when Natsu took her hand.

"All those stories you tell dead people, all those adventures, you could have them, for real." His smile was small, "Maybe not all the noble parts but… it would be fun. And definitely not as lonely."

"What makes you think I'm lonely?" Her voice was rough when she spoke.

"Luce," Natsu smiled, "You talk to dead people."

His smile was inviting. In a fleeting moment, she wanted nothing more than to run off into whatever adventurous life he led, tally marks on none.

But then she remembered the sorrow after her father's death, and her suspicion that someone Natsu knew was responsible for taking everything she cherished away from her. She had to hold that feeling close.

Because it gave her purpose.

"Fine," She gripped his hand tight, "Show me where you work."

Natsu beamed at her. He let go of her hand just long enough to put his shoe back on before gripping it again and dragging her up off her seat. He took off at a run, giving her no choice but to follow.

She remembered his dramatics in the church. _Styx has shown me mercy and kept me alive for my revenge_. Maybe that was why she hadn't died of sorrow.

She was certain Natsu would lead her to answers, and it not, he certainly had the means to get them. A pang of guilt went through her at the thought of using him. Despite his irritating nature, he did seem kind.

But if he stood in the way of the people who had took everything from her… well, she'd just have to kill him.

Thirty-eight times.


End file.
